Meg: Dylan, because you have been doing so much custody trial work lately, I was wondering if you are still seeing any lingering prejudices about fathers' ability to parent half-time, or take care of young children?
Dylan: I definitely see a greater expectation on the part of dads for more parenting time, if not 50/50 time. It used to be that dads got "visitation" with the child every other weekend and for a mid-week dinner, but that's no longer the norm. Even calling dad's time "visitation" is now viewed as demeaning. I also think courts are more receptive than they have been in the past to shared custody arrangements with older children, assuming that you have an involved and capable dad, attuned to the needs of the child. With younger children—especially those not yet of school age—I see less willingness to consider a true 50/50 shared time arrangement. I think that there is still an additional hurdle for fathers of young children.
