Introduction:

I'm a professor of sociology at the State University of New York investigating why 'good' (protective) mothers in North America are losing custody of their children at times of separation and divorce.

If you have been in a contested custody battle, and either won or lost, I would very much like to interview you over the phone.

ALL RESPONSES ARE STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL (no real names will be used).

If you would like to be PERSONALLY INTERVIEWED, either on the phone or in person, please email me: goodmajk@potsdam.edu

Press "SUBMIT" button at end of questionnaire to send, if you are filling it out.

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Qualitative Interview Questions

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1. Did you actually go to court for custody of your child(ren)? - Yes or No

2. What are the circumstances that led up to your ending up in court?


3. What was the outcome?


4. What was your case against the father?


5. What was the father's case against you?


6. What were the judge's STATED reason(s) in his/her actual decision, for giving the father custody of the children?


7. Did anything happen during the court proceedings that made you feel that any of the following were biased? - Yes or No

If yes, describe the incidents?
a.) Judge -


b.) law guardian -


c.) forensic psychologist -


d.) your own lawyer -


e.) social services -

8. Were you employed before and/or during the custody dispute? - Yes or No

If yes,
a.) Type of your employment and job title.


b.) How long were you employed?


c.) Your approximate income.

9. Was the child(ren's) father employed before and/or during the custody dispute? - Yes or No

If yes,
a.) Type of father's employment and job title.


b.) How long father was employed?


c.) Father's approximate income.

10. Prior to, and/or during the custody dispute, did either you or the child(ren's) father leave the martal residence? - Yes or No

a.) If yes, who left?


b.) With the children? - Yes or No

11. Prior to, and/or during the custody dispute please indicate the percentage of time you and the father spent doing the following:

a.) arranging child care: Mother%   Father%
b.) picking up/dropping off child(ren): Mother%   Father%
c.) staying home when child(ren) was(were) sick: Mother%   Father%
d.) bathing child(ren): Mother%   Father%
e.) buying food for family: Mother%   Father%
f.) doing homework with child(ren): Mother%   Father%
g.) attending school conferences: Mother%   Father%
h.) attending sports/school/music activities of child(ren): Mother%   Father%
i.) taking child(ren) to doctor: Mother%   Father%
j.) organizing birthday parties: Mother%   Father%
k.) disciplining child(ren): Mother%   Father%
l.) organizing play dates: Mother%   Father%
m.) responding to emotional needs of child(ren): Mother%   Father%

12. Did the father ever engage in extramarital affairs? - Yes or No

If yes, how did the following respond to this in the case?
a.) Judge -


b.) law guardian -


c.) forensic psychologist -


d.) your own lawyer -


e.) social services -

13. Did you ever engage in extramarital affairs? - Yes or No

If yes, how did the following respond to this in the case?
a.) Judge -


b.) law guardian -


c.) forensic psychologist -


d.) your own lawyer -


e.) social services -

14. Did the child(ren's) father ever engage in sexual abuse of the child(ren)? - Yes or No

If yes, how did the following respond to this in the case?
a.) Judge -


b.) law guardian -


c.) forensic psychologist -


d.) your own lawyer -


e.) social services -

15. Were you ever accused of engaging in sexual abuse of the child(ren)?
- Yes or No

If yes, how did the following respond to this in the case?
a.) Judge -


b.) law guardian -


c.) forensic psychologist -


d.) your own lawyer -


e.) social services -

16. Did the child(ren's) father ever engage in violence against you or the child(ren)? - Yes or No

17. If responding yes in Question 16,

a.) Did you ever go to the hospital for this?
- Yes or No

b.) Did the child(ren) ever go to the hospital for this?
- Yes or No

c.) Were the police ever called for violence against you?
- Yes or No

d.) Were the police ever called for violence against the child(ren)?
- Yes or No

18. If responding yes in Question 16,

how did the following respond to this in the case?
a.) Judge -


b.) law guardian -


c.) forensic psychologist -


d.) your own lawyer -


e.) social services -

19. Were you ever accused of engaging in violence against your child(ren) or their father? - Yes or No

a.) Did child(ren) ever go to the hospital for this?
- Yes or No

b.) Did the father ever go to the hospital for this?
- Yes or No

c.) Were the police ever called for the father?
- Yes or No

d.) Were the police ever called for the child(ren)?
- Yes or No

20. If responding yes in Question 19,

how did the following respond to this in the case?
a.) Judge -


b.) law guardian -


c.) forensic psychologist -


d.) your own lawyer -


e.) social services -

21. How would you describe the style of discipline you used?


22. How did the following respond to your style?

a.) Judge -


b.) law guardian -


c.) forensic psychologist -


d.) your own lawyer -


e.) social services -

23. How would you describe the style of discipline the child(ren's) father used?


24. How did the following respond to the father's style of discipline?

a.) Judge -


b.) law guardian -


c.) forensic psychologist -


d.) your own lawyer -


e.) social services -

25. Did the child(ren's) father ever abuse drugs or alcohol? - Yes or No
26. If responding yes in Question 25,

a.) Was the father ever arrested for driving while impaired?
- Yes or No

b.) Did you ever ask the father to attend a drug or alcohol treatment program?
- Yes or No

c.) Did the father regularly drink more than two drinks per day?
- Yes or No

27. If responding yes in Question 25,

how did the following respond to it?
a.) Judge -


b.) law guardian -


c.) forensic psychologist -


d.) your own lawyer -


e.) social services -

28.1. Were you ever accused of abusing drugs or alcohol? - Yes or No
28.2. Did you do so? - Yes or No
29. If responding yes in Question 28,

a.) Were you ever arrested for driving while impaired?
- Yes or No

b.) Did the father ever ask you to attend a drug or alcohol treatment program?
- Yes or No

c.) Did you regularly drink more than two drinks per day?
- Yes or No

30. If responding yes in Question 28,

how did the following respond to this in the case?
a.) Judge -


b.) law guardian -


c.) forensic psychologist -


d.) your own lawyer -


e.) social services -

31.1. Is there anything that leads you to believe that there was illegal collusion between your judge, the law guardian, your ex's lawyer, and/or any other group?
- Yes or No

31.2 If yes, please explain?

32. Do you pay child support to the father? - Yes or No

33.1. Do you believe child support has anything to do with why the father fought for custody? - Yes or No

33.2. If yes, please explain?

34.1. Did you fight for custody because of child support? - Yes or No

32.2. If yes, please explain?

35. Judge's name:

County:
State:
Age:
Gender:
Years on the bench:

36. Your age:

Race:
County:
State:

37. Child(ren's) father's age:

38. Were you married to the child(ren's) father? - Yes or No
39. Ages of your child(ren) at the time of the court case:

a.) 0-5 years old

b.) 6-10 years old


c.) 11-15 years old

40. Gender of child(ren) - Male or Female


41. Anything else relevant to your case that might help explain why you believe you lost custody of your children?

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