February 2000

Letters

Editor:
I have been practicing family law in Snohomish County for 25 years, and over the past decade or so, I have come to the conclusion that McDonald’s has sold many of the billions of burgers purchased during that period as a result of family law issues.

Parents in both divorces and non-marriage parenting cases have become increasingly contentious over the years. This has necessitated a need for a "neutral" spot for visitation pickup and delivery. The number of family law cases in my practice and the practices of my colleagues which require the finding of a safe place for the visitation exchange to occur has increased dramatically in the past few years. One wonders if split-family relationships are becoming more violent, or if it is just that parents are becoming more aware of avenues to voice their concerns over what they consider inappropriate behavior.

In any case, more and more split-family visitation plans seek out a neutral place for the visitations to occur. And what location could be more ideal than a McDonald’s? The reasons for such a location choice are obvious:

1. There is one in nearly every community, and sometimes even multiple sites to choose from.

2. The hours that the usual McDonald’s is open will almost always cover all visitation hours, regardless of the parenting plan in question.

3. If the children get hungry, or if the other parent is late in arriving, the food is cheap.

4. There are play areas for the children while they wait.

5. And lastly, there seems to be an almost church-like aura to a McDonald’s. Except for boisterous kids, people are rarely loud and unruly. Everyone knows where to line up, what food is available, what it will cost, and where to sit.

The ritual-like atmosphere lends a tranquility to visitation exchanges. As much as anyone may dislike or distrust the other parent, it would be improper to make a scene, and there are usually lots of witnesses to verify which parent is acting badly. But it is not only the angry parents who utilize McDonald’s as a neutral spot. More and more parents are living further apart geographically, and mid-point transfer spots are being utilized. Where else to go but a McDonald’s so often conveniently located in every possible neutral location?

I’m sure the McDonald’s owners didn’t have these visitation issues in mind when franchises began popping up in every conceivable nook and cranny of our nation. And the owners might not, to this day, realize what a bonanza they have on their hands. But billions and billions of family attorneys know it to be true.

Editor:
I’m just a lawyer from Bellingham and I don’t get out much, so it was quite a thrill for me to attend a panel discussion which featured three sitting U.S. Supreme Court Justices at a class reunion for my husband’s alma mater. The topic was one on which three justices could actually hold a discussion — what they had learned from and contributed to in discussions with judges from other nations.

As treasurer of Legal Aid for Washington (LAW) Fund, my ears pricked up when the facilitator, Stanford University Law School Dean Kathleen Sullivan, asked Justice Sandra Day O’Connor to comment on the quality of justice in the U.S. in contrast with that in other countries. Justice O’Connor could have responded, "Ours beats them all hands down." But she didn’t. She answered that while we have much to be proud of, as long as we significantly limit access to justice due to lack of income by those in need of civil redress, ours has much room for improvement. Her statement received a round of applause from an audience clearly touched by her observation and humanity.

As treasurer of LAW Fund, which raises money statewide to support access to justice for the poor in this state, I would like to commend members of this association who assisted this effort through actual pro bono efforts and financial support through LAW Fund and local providers. I also challenge us all to come up to the plate with increased financial support to meet the critical needs of those who need legal advice and assistance but cannot obtain it due to lack of funds.

We all have a role to play in trying to achieve "justice for all."Wendy Bohlke
Treasurer, Seattle LAW Fund

Readers are invited to submit letters of reasonable length to the editor. They may be sent via e-mail to comm@wsba.org or provided on disk in any conventional format with accompanying hard copy. Due date is the 10th of the month for the second issue following, e.g., February 10 for the April issue. The editor reserves the right to select excerpts for publication or edit them as appropriate. Signatures in excess of three names will be printed at the discretion of the editor.

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