Fathers’ group scares lawyers

Kim Thomas

Christchurch Family Court lawyers are feeling stressed and afraid as a radical father’s rights group promises to up the ante in its protest campaign against them.
A pamphlet was distributed around Christchurch’s eastern suburbs this week informing residents they had "seriously nasty neighbours " in the form of family court staff and lawyers living nearby. The Press understands some lawyers who work in the court also received abusive phone calls.
The Fathers’ Coalition, which distributed the Christchurch leaflet, told Press that distribution of the pamphlet was the first action in a campaign against the Family Court and its staff in the city.
Men’s groups in several North Island cities have picketed outside the houses of Family Court judges, lawyers and psychologists in the past few months.
Canterbury District Law Society president John Brandts – Giessen said many lawyers working in family law were naturally fearful they would be targeted as part of the group ‘s smear campaign.
Brandts – Giessen said the lawyers, and staff working within the Family Court, were just doing their jobs and did not deserve to be harassed in their private life.
Everyone involved in Family Court proceedings had the right to legal representation and lawyers tried to act in the best interests of their clients, he said.
Taking action against those who were trying to do the best for their clients was not going to achieve change but would instead force lawyers to become less approachable for their clients.
Some Family Court lawyers might consider getting unlisted home phone numbers if the Fathers’ Coalition started staking out people’s homes or made phone calls of protest to them.
Fathers Coalition national spokesman Kerry Bevin said the pamphlet drop in Christchurch was part of an ongoing campaign aimed at a " hit list" of people felt to have treated fathers unfairly
" We know what we are doing is provocative but we are not going to back down."
Bevin said the Fathers’ Coalition was " not a bunch of nutters " but rather a passionate group of men trying to draw attention to unfairness in the Family Court system.
Bevin said it was no excuse the Family Court staff, lawyers or judges to say they were just doing their jobs because they always had the option of quitting or trying to make changes in favour of fathers and children.