ft"*-iL1 1L.'."pv l4ry,.ti',.!

ii
)-<vt lvtt) J..'." t

|.:

questionswillbeaskedof you. Vhenyolr

calt rhe .ttorney, he doesnor rerurnyour
calls.Howcver,he doessendyou a lerte!
J -> i w o r.c rnrnrnrngl ,,u rt-rr he rnrendsro r.t lor
I)., .-.
Inr v.ur R (nmnenJ.fi nr\ (on{ rn r nS.
custody,due tothe factthar bofi parenrs
*"::ekn,8 futr cusrodyoJ.ihcildaush
.
, i er Th(n y,{rdre.fl v.d w rh a j .t,| oe r r
.: I
" forrhc.oun hr.rrrng.
Ag.rn),,u.ftpmpr
{
to cofltacr rhe atto.ney to discussyoLrr
.. ..{ r$fi rnnny.b.rrrhr i ftnrne)
re:nt
Vhen you ger to conrr, you rcalizc
thxt you do nor hive writtelrauthoriza-
tn)n hom yorr client'smorberro resrify.
You do not hrve an audrorizrtionfornr
withyou,andwhcnyourry totilk rorhe
mom'sartorney,hc doesnor hrve rime
, duringrhecouftlsr€cess ro dircus with
, youtheproblems rcsardingconfidenitil
rry Inir you wxnr to rirse,
After dre recess,the b.riliffcrlls vou
Testifyingin Divorce Litigation: il::5::jlT'il:tii:il:.,ilil,il:lli
Risks and Risk Prevention iliJiliilliiiilitii;J,it*i;i;;ll;
cn*rre.,khp,orcssionxrsnnti.nwideh.rvcrear.nedthNrrcstiryins
ijlTill::lii:l,jl'l:ffi:i:lfiill
lhcrr€)tmcnrdrrr)otr
inhiilhconfiictdivorcelitigrtionisfraughtwithd,:necrr.Thcrinrr hnveprovnlccltrr

,esur,ins{rom,estimonyi'rcourrbyMFrsincrur,.rln*B€rothe
:;:ljIIffl;j:l'l'.THH:ill
,er..rionJhir
criDicrr N. sr.,isricard*,.re
avalnbre
t. <iocumc,r
rhenumb-r
;T::ffi],i:I:il:",1"."1f_li,l;
Licensins
&).irdcomrhinlsnrrionwidc
rhrt.rfisefromtcsrimony
indom€srjc
tit| ifyouctonrrrov
sition.hurrrrcdoralevidence
nri)rmsusrhar0 hiah\ ot,,mcuf Bo.rfd.omDh|rrs she$illrerminatc
rreatmenr,
yourestify
con.Lrnrher.p,s,s.rcstimony
ir crivorce
courtLicer(inA
*uinrmembr*rer^rr Iil';'J*ii:$i;"::Xl:lj'::::ii
rh.rronocc;rsion
moreth.nharrortheconlpramrsb€ins
col,sidded
arise
oL't
"r :*,rj,*:il:ij.,.i"iliil:J::"il.*,
r.lr'monv bv melral healthprofessionals
in dornesric
lirisarnn.srepscaDbet.ken
on crxs ex.rminarbn,drd\ atroF
by marriage
anclfemilythefapisrstocomplywithrheAAMl:TerhLrl
p,in.int.,'")"']"ifd"dshouldarle.sthaveioinr
rndprotccrasainstrhcriskoraBoardcomprainr.n*,n,*,-".,""."0."..,,.,.:jillJ,,$1.:1,:.iil::T:
ivoidrhepossibihy
rha*estimory;r
cou*wirh.rrm
,r,eL,rpeuri,
,cr'ion,h
rls. ::Uil:i]l;1li:",',j],|i,'l'_:::i::::11
Arypica,casesrudy since
rhebrexkup
orrhemarri.sc.
Ar. ::i, il'il ]lll.""'l:':;,J'.:jjf
,:r;i:';,:11
A mom who is separntcdfrom her hus- sixweeLsofpl.yrherapv,thechild:mood hastoldyou.)rl her dacl,satroroeyrsks if
band lrnd goins through a.lirorce brings has improved,.nd so has her behav;or. youwiltarleasr.sreetharafatheishouttl
hcr eight year'old daughrer ro yoLr for Themon tellsyou rhat alinal orders have rn opporrunill to speD.lrinre\yirh
coDnseling.She h.!s temporary custody he.rins is going to be held in the divo.ce lis daughtel vou agreerhar ir is reason,
orderedbv th. court, and givcsyoD con case.she irsksit you are willing to tcsrity ablc for d.ughren !o havea rchrion\hip
sent to provide counselinsro rhe child. in court. You obrain written permission wirh rheir rau,er
The eight-vcerold has beenacringour ar from your ctienrt molher ro ralk ro her Thenextdal,,vou receireanourraged
school and drrowing tanrrums at homc arlorney,s.' rhar you can find ou! what phone call ftorn the nom, who accus

'... 43
^,^',,".
 :
.ETHIIAL MATTER5
6 IEGAL
.s \o u oi nor c ar ins ! b o u t v o u r c l l e n t,
re :ru s e v ou t es t if iedth :t h tr d ru g h te r
.l ,o u l d hr r c r is nat r n u rh rh e d rd . " l
( rl L fe\ e. leim v d! us h i c rs p c n d:t \i n g l e
.::f!r. s 1r h. r nr in \ ho ,s e n (,r,n 3 l l y
r..:, \ e r nJ un. r r 0c . . n d ro u o b v rc u s l y
: . :.r: i r hnr t her if r o L r\u ,l J l c r h c r
.:::r.: - r : : s r r h hr nr .\\' e q l l n c re r b c
i .r:. , . . . r , { r . ll\ t e l n h L n Frn .o u rt,
.,,: l :, ; - . r r , , . J .o o r n ' l rti o n s h i p
: :i , r. . - r , - , . i: r Jh. r J .ru c h re r.
p h :r:l : , " : : F c I i, . r r . ! ,,i \l .rrri rg e :rn d
Irn ,l \ T r r r . jr ' : . I f \ r nr rc rs .rn i h i i tc d b y
rh cJ.n l.ll. i, , J : . . . r n. J r,,ro u rl i c e rs u rg
h (,.rrJ ,, n. . r , L. L' , ! i: J r\e h ! .s s e s s -
n rcn rrn hr r ) . . r r ) !\1, t r jri )l \
rn g h rm .s hr | h.r.e J* i l e l y o n th e
"rrr
b r.r\cJ\ r . 1( r n! . c dr . rl ! b v h i s e \-w i te .
Nc\r, r , n, r ( . . \ f . ' . . rfg r\ e i te r h o n l
yo u f i ( ) r nr ! r! l, . r r ' \ njo rh u ,Ih re i te n i n g
ro su cr ou k i, l r ( . \ liL rs !()d l i !l c n i i i l i ty ,
Jtren ' rhc r r ( r r 1, . , ( J ,,l n o r h .1 !cw ti r
',,!
te nru rhr ur r nn t , , J L ' rl ,' \c(,)n fi d e n ti i l
mtrtr r f l , i{ ) r h( . iiu r(.
r4rl,n. Cmr.,r,. f..onn'[./1o6.iru
d 1.d,/.r,n ,r&t,ns dnl ( hdnglig lu?j -
b1ptn,iring1[eIrgior qunli!
bdrd,,or.ll.olil vrrtr.r.miln6/..
C jfN i rr P^ 1ts- &,r lhok s uler nr s
honr \.ru al ,d did ion s ex ur l
anoreiia , reh rion rhip r ddi. r ior ,
N lxr SrrP - Hsh ing nc n r c s ain
fftcdom iroN rhemiLal dependencr
P rorssro ur Erqu c r uur - AAM FT C l i n i c a M e m b a r a n d
C.mf r.h.nsive rreaimeni for
pr.f6ri.nals *rlgglmg wnh
lnrcrPersonarf erau.n!hPs
W oM !N's CrNrrn - Re"id. "t i^l
ti o8rn ,nsL e:rin ge JL if q Llnu er "
Jn. .n rnr'.r, o ePe na enc y
TINELiROvE
r - 8 8 8 5 7 4-H OP E
A AMF T Code of E thi cs
therlpisrs cxn avoid foreseeablerisks
by complyingwith thc AAMFr Codc of
Ethics. Principle 3.14 of thc Code pro-
yidesimportaDt gui.lanccto MFTS: "To
avoid aconflict ofinterest, marriageard
ftnilv rherapists who trcat mirors or
a d u l rsi n v o l vedi n cusl odyor vi si tari o.
3 c ri o n smay not al so pe.form forensi c
c v a h a i i o n s for custodn resi dence,or
v i s i r.tu n o f thenl i nor.Themi rri agexnd
fa m i l y rh c r l l pi stw ho treatsthe nl i nor
m a v p ro v i d erhc court or mcnti l hc.l th
professionalperformnrs the evaluatnn
rvith information about the rnrror frorn
drc irri,rse ind family therapisfs ter-
s tc c ti v e ." Co pl yi ng w i tl r thi s ethi cal
ru l c tl 1 .y c n.rhl cyo{ to avoi d someof
d re t()h l c ms evi denri n thi s crse study.
I Iowcvcr',clicntt cxpecr tions rcgrftl-
ing their rherr pists'icstimony in d ivofcc
r cnormous froD rcm.
C c n e ml l y s peaki nBi,t i s i ' npossi hl eto
mc c r c l i rn rs' expectrti ons. A ny re!-
v ,n a b l e testi monyconcedi fl sohvi ous
OPPORTUNITII
CARIER
The lana Colldga Maslar's Prog@m
ih MFT is saaking to llll tha lollowing
pasition in its COAMF|E Candidacy
Slalus Prosraml
ASSISTANT
PROFESSOR
Tenur€-Track
Frcultv
Foll2006
A successful candidale shoud hold
a PhD n M F T ( o r a r 6 l a t 6 d f i e l d ) ,
Appr ov ed S u p e r v s o r s l a t u s , a n d
be eligib1 6l o r N Y S M F T L i c e n s e .
A successlul cand daie should also
pf es ent a d o c ! m 6 n t e d r € c o r d o t
t eac hing, s c h o l a r s h i p ,a n d c l n i c a l
Sendapplicatiannateial,
includingVitaaahd three tettere
of rccommendalahta:
Di Bobgri A. B0rns
ProgramDireclor&
Chairof SearchCommitt6€
IONA COLLEGE
EganHall
NewBochelle,NY 10801
E-mail:rbLrrns@iona.odu
(914)633-2073
]!ts .oteqe ts an equatwdrn)\ gqlqFl
points ("shouldi't this lirtlc girl havc
a relationshipwith her father?") can bc
sccnby a client as a betrayal in a biticr,
acrimoDiouscustody hattle.
l nformed consent l ssues
ThcLapistswho hrve bcensetupbyattof
nevs,burned by their clients,andsricrecl
by nrdividualsthcy hevc revcr nret lcarn
quickly from their mistakes.Thefrst les
son is to comply rvith the AAMFf Code
of Fihics.rndto manua;r theproper role
for n treatnert provider when testifymg
in couft. lt] tuing so, lrowcvcr, Ml-lt
Nrsr derl with Iheir clicnts'cxpectatiors.
Cllientsnust be infonned thar rhe only
professionrlswho can mrke recommen-
ddtionsro the cour! concerningcustody
and parentnrgissuesaredre independenr,
objectiveprofesionrls who are.ppoinI-
ed by thc court to conduct dlcscevalLra-
rions. MfTs c.rn dcil wlth drcir clicnts'
expect.tj,nrshy i fornling thcnrthit it is
unethicrl k) nrikc rcconrnrcnJitii)nsR)
$e judseor n) cxpfcssofin i(rrs on issucs
,\n i"!8riri.' df ll"ddhnt ihnrLing,
mindti,l..$ lJ,i.rn., :.J .qlonive
L.!:vi.[l N)'d og],, rhis book
ss .trr r irtrightlorwrrJ progrin
of.Yrrn$ xnd rd\nr i u n h tl t
L.rder mov. rhrcughing.. r, i
-.]",i
non nonnrgliLl *ry of lirrng.
newharbingerpublications
800-748
6273/ newharbinger.corn
calltodayfora freecatalog
that they havc nor and cinnor evahare. who findthenselves on thcwirness staDd
'Iherapistsshouldalso discloseto clienls in bitterlycontested donesriccases Drusr
who w.Dtthem rocorneto couft rharrhey resNtqucstio.sconcerninS rheirrecom,
can only testifyconcerningthe tr.drmenr mendations on cLrstody issuesand rheir
that has bcer provided. opnrionson other is es beins adju-
Ther;pists nationwide are nrforning dicatedby rhe coun. If a rherapisthas
their clicntsat the inccprnDof treatmenr bcenprovidingtr.armenrto a child of
rhar rhey should not bc askcd ro restify thc divofcingparties,andrhetherapist is
in court, becausethis will potenrially askedfor an opurionasro whichparent
llesrroyrhe profess(,n.1rel.rionshiprhat woLrldbethemorefitand properperson
his b.cn esfublishcd.To avoid harmnrg Io havecustody, thetherapist shouldsrn
i h c clm i. al r elit nr r s h i f rn d rh c c l i c n rs " I havenotconducred theev.harionnec
rte ci ir r g r r er t m c ni,p ro fe s s i o n a h
l sa v e essaryio fornuhle an ofiiion on th.1r
hcendrrhingeonrfu.rs in whiclr their cli- sLrbject. Therefore,I c.nnot answcrrhe
ent! pft ,nnscnorio nrbpocnirhedrerapisr qresrion."In ol(ler () complywith the
to .o un. N' hiles ! . h ic o n i r!c t m a yn o rb c AAMFI'CodeofEthics,a mirrirge and
eni<xcerble,n Jocscxpressa connrirmcnr familytherapistwhohasbecnproviding
c,nrhe prff ofrheclicni not to involvethe trertmentmrrctlre preparcdro answer
rhcr:lpisrin litigfinrr .s, wiiness. questions r0htingto cusrocly rnd parent-
ing tinreby responding, "l do nor hrve
Ad vo c at lng t he T ru th an opirion on rhatsubiccr."
Occrsioni ll! nienil I herhh prolessiona h 'iflhenr therapisth.s beenable ro
b e l i ev et h; u $hc n r he y rc s ri fyi n c o u rt, inf(xn1rhe clienr\ arromet wuh clicnt
i h e y a r e " r d! oe. r es " fo r rh e i r c l i e n rs ., conscnr,concenringrhc limir:rriurson
Norhing c:rn be frrrhcr ffom rhe rruth. tl)€drerrpisr's tesumony, rhercby correct-
Any witness in courr nnrsrswerr to tcll ingrny misconcepri(nrs on ihc artorney\
rherrLuh.M.rrli:rgeind fi mily rheripists partreg.rdingthcopinionsrhnthcor she
Job Connection
The AAMFT offers iobs for marriage and family therapists
in the many facets of the field.
I Academia
l. Adminisrration
I Agency Direction
6 Clinical Supervisors
tt Clinical'lfherapists
{. Home-based Services
* Residential Counselors
will beal,leto elicit in rhecourroom, the
therapist nay, in fact, be able to avoid
havLngto tlo to court.
Marfiage and fanily rherapistsshould
discloseto thcir clienrsat the beginnjng
of tre3tment, when a client is involved
in a divorcc or custody barle, rhe role
of d treitins professional: ro trelp the
child of family nremberwirh any srress
or enrotional problems.Ar !o t;me will
it be proper for the Ml'T to make fcc,
ommend.tions ro thc courr concernin8
custody.Complirnce wirh rhe AAMFT
cthi cal codcci nhel pro prev€ nrr he r lsl
()1. Roard conltlainr as a consequence
for testifying in domesticlitigat;on. O
DExrstc LAXElt,,isanattorney|(ented
ln Colo€doandthe OlsvlctofColumbia
who practices in the areaofmenralheath
lawHeisthe authorof lheregaidnd
EthlcalGuidefat MentalHeakhPrcfessianah
(BfadfordPublishing 2006)and Ihelegol
Guidefot PQcticingPsychothetuW ln Colarcdo
(BndfordPublishlng 2006).
" * r , ' " ...u 4 5