247 - Dad’s Law School: A Father’s Guide To Legal Survival

03/17/25 • 53 min

The Divorced Dadvocate: Divorce Support For Dads

David Pissarro, attorney and founder of Union of Dads, shares powerful insights on navigating custody battles, challenging family court biases, and fighting for father's rights. Through his 26 years of legal experience and personal advocacy, David provides essential strategies for dads facing the often unfair family court system.
• Family courts often favor mothers despite laws being theoretically gender-neutral
• Mothers frequently enter court with extensive documentation while fathers are unprepared
• Court-appointed "experts" may be part of a cottage industry that lacks true impartiality
• High-conflict cases often involve personality disorders that judges aren't trained to identify
• Preparing for custody battles requires treating it like going to war with a strategic battle plan
• The presumption of 50/50 custody should be the starting point in all states
• Custody battles have generational impacts when children lose connections with their fathers
• Fathers must document everything and demonstrate specific involvement beyond saying "I'm a good dad"
• Domestic violence laws often used as weapons need significant reform
• Dad's Law School offers resources to help fathers represent themselves effectively in court

Check out DadsLawSchool.com to learn about upcoming Badass Boot Camps to prepare for court.

Mark Ludwig lobbying program is at www.stlmarkludwig.com

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Other Resources:
The Divorced Dadvocate Website - http://www.TheDivorcedDadvocate.com
The Divorced Dadvocate YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeSwx-F8KK4&list=PLT4HyN5ishYJznK51205ESxGZ2d19YkBp
The Divorced Dadvocate Podcast - https://thedivorceddadvocate.buzzsprout.com/
Divorced Dads Online Meetup Group - https://www.meetup.com/Divorced-Dads-Meetup-Group/
The Divorced Dadvocate Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/thedivorceddadvocate/
Music credit: Akira the Don

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Check out DadsLawSchool.com to learn about upcoming Badass Boot Camps to prepare for court.

Mark Ludwig lobbying program is at www.stlmarkludwig.com

Send us a text

Support the show

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246 - Divorced Dad Décor: How Environment Affects Healing After Divorce

Creating a stable, welcoming environment after divorce isn't just about interior design—it's about healing, comfort, and establishing a foundation for your family's new chapter. When children shuttle between homes, the spaces they inhabit profoundly affect their ability to process and adjust to their new reality.
Interior designer Molly Anderson discovered this truth through personal experience when her son candidly told her that her ex-husband's house "didn't feel like home." This insight launched her specialty practice helping divorced parents create nurturing environments for themselves and their children. As she reveals, children are remarkably perceptive about their surroundings: "Anytime any of my kids' friends come over, they're like 'oh, your house feels so nice.' I mean, they could be eight years old and say that—you would never even think a kid would notice."
The conversation explores practical, budget-conscious approaches to transforming post-divorce spaces. Anderson emphasizes that expensive furniture and professional design aren't prerequisites for creating comfort. Simple changes—warm lighting (using 2700K bulbs instead of harsh white lights), comfortable bedding, and even artificial plants—can dramatically transform how a space feels. Most importantly, involving children in design decisions helps them develop ownership and pride in their new environment.
For many newly-single parents, particularly fathers who may not have been primarily responsible for home décor decisions during marriage, identifying personal style presents a significant challenge. Anderson offers compassionate guidance, explaining how she helps clients discover their preferences and create environments that support emotional healing while reflecting their new identity.
Whether you're starting from scratch in a new space or transforming an existing home after divorce, this conversation provides thoughtful strategies for creating environments where both parents and children can thrive during this transition. The right surroundings don't just provide physical comfort—they create the foundation for healing and new beginnings.

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248 - Dear Divorced Dad: You Don't Have To Be Perfect

Divorce is tough. There’s no sugarcoating it. It’s a process that shakes the very foundation of your life, leaving you to navigate a storm of emotions, legal complexities, financial strains, and, most importantly, your relationship with your children. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or like you’re failing, you’re not alone. And here’s the truth: you don’t have to be perfect.
The reality is that you will struggle, and that’s okay. Struggle is not failure—it’s human. In fact, showing your kids that you can weather hard times with resilience will teach them one of the most valuable life lessons they can learn.

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The Divorced Dadvocate: Divorce Support For Dads - 247 - Dad’s Law School: A Father’s Guide To Legal Survival

Transcript

Speaker 100:01:04.093

Hello and welcome to the show . Thank you so much for being here . Today we are going to be talking about the realities of custody battles , the emotional toll that it takes on us dads and the legal strategies that you need to know . You are a dad fighting for time with your kiddos being alienated , or just someone interested in legal reform , or just passionate about fatherhood ,