Custody Battles - There is no such thing as a secret

When it comes to custody battles, there is no such thing as a secret.

According to matrimonial attorney Cecile C. Weich, there is nothing wrong with bringing in all of the parties' psychological and psychiatric records. The more the Judge knows, the more informed a decision he or she can make.

The records, no matter how far they date back, are allowed if they're determined to be relevant to the welfare of the child.

For example, Cecile C. Weich was able to get the 10-year-old records of a woman who had been treated in a center for alcoholism.

While the woman had consented to the release of the records, a Federal law protects disclosure of drug and alcohol rehabilitation records, she did so reluctantly. Weich's client, the Husband, won custody.

In another case, Weich got the six-year-old psychiatrist's records for a man with a drug problem. She was representing the Mother and she got custody.

But, it doesn't always work that way. Whether or not to allow introduction of doctor's past records is up to the Judge. Weich for instance, was denied a Father's psychiatric record because the Judge deemed the six-year-old medical records to be too old.

For more discussion on this subject....call 410-604-1111