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35 U. Louisville J. Fam. L. 325 (1996-1997)
Should Child Custody Rules Be Fair

handle is hein.journals/branlaj35 and id is 343 raw text is: SHOULD CHILD CUSTODY RULES BE FAIR? Scott Altman* INTRODUCTION ............................................ 325 I. THE AIMS OF CURRENT LAW ................................ 327 A. Child Custody ........................................ 327 B. Relocation ........................................... 330 II. FAIRNESS TO ADULTS ..................................... 333 A . M erit ............................................... 334 B. Equality ............................................. 337 1. Equality and Child Custody .......................... 337 2. Equality and Relocation ............................. 341 C. Vulnerability ......................................... 343 D. Conclusions Regarding Fairness ......................... 345 III. CHILD WELFARE AS THE ONLY GOAL ....................... 346 A . Love ................................................ 348 B. Estoppel ............................................. 348 C. Fiduciary Duties ...................................... 349 D. Children as Property ................................... 350 E. Children as Mere Means ................................ 351 CONCLUSION: IS CHILD WELFARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN FAIRNESS TO ADULTS.? ................................................ 353 INTRODUCTION Divorcing parents, feminists, and fathers' rights groups complain that child custody rules are unfair. They invoke norms ofjustice, such as equality and merit, as well as claims to personal fairness. Yet legal and popular * For helpful comments, I thank Brian Bix, Carol Bruch, June Carbone, David Chambers, Howard Chang, Erwin Chemerinsky, Dick Craswell, Ira Ellman, Laura Fry, Ruth Gavison, Alon Harel, Bruce Hay, Carrie Hempel, Randy Kandel, Greg Keating, Mike Knoll, Tom Lyon, Martha Matthews, Ed McCaffery, Bill Patton, Judith Resnik, Elyn Saks, Elizabeth Scott, Lary Simon, Laura Stein, Nomi Stolzenberg, Richard Warner, Mark Weinstein, and workshop participants at U.S.C. Lois Perin provided excellent research assistance.