Coalition of Parent Support - San Diego, California

San Diego Chapter
(619) 465-2677

Chapter Director: James Shaw
kjshaw04@yahoo.com

Map -California Men's Center 932 "C" St San Diego, CA

COPS –San Diego meetings are held the second Wednesday the month 7:00-9:00 pm at:

California Men's Center, San Diego (located downstairs in the Men's Legal Center Building at the northwest corner of 10th and C)

932 ‘C’ Street, Suite B

San Diego, CA 92101.

For more information, email kjshaw04@yahoo.com or cops_cal@yahoo.com.

HOT Projects !!!

· JUDICIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

Upon a vacancy or newly created judgeship, judges are appointed by the Governor and reelected by the voters for six-year terms.

Commissioners, in contrast, are hired employees of the court.

If a judge is up for reelection but is unopposed, the judge’s name never even appears on the ballot.

COPS is currently exploring the logistics of ensuring that all judges, at a minimum, appear on the ballot when they are up for election.

UPDATE:

We have a tentative timeline for the next judicial elections.

12/07 -Judicial candidates must file their intention to run for election/reelection

3/17/08 -Judicial candidate must file their election papers

4/07/08 -Write-in petition must be filed

6/03/08 -June Primary Election

–more to come

2007 FAMILY LAW ASSIGNMENTS

FAMILY COURT

Dept. F-1: Thomas C. Hendrix, Judge (Reelection date: 2012 Primary Election)

Dept. F-2: Browder A. Willis III, Judge (Reelection date: 2008 Primary Election)

Dept. F-3: Patricia Garcia, Judge (Reelection date: 2012 Primary Election)

Dept. F-4: Lorna A. Alksne, Judge (Reelection date: 2012 Primary Election)

Dept. F-5: David B. Oberholtzer, Judge Supervising, Family Court (Reelection date: 2010 Primary Election)

Dept. F-6: Jeffrey S. Bostwick, Judge (Reelection date: 2008 Primary Election)

MADGE BRADLEY BUILDING

Dept. F-8: Robert C. Coates, Judge (Reelection date: 2010 Primary Election)

Dept. F-9: Edward B. Huntington, Judge (Reelection date: 2008 Primary Election)

FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION

Dept. 42 Adam Wertheimer, Commissioner

Dept. 43 Jeannie Lowe, Commissioner

Dept. 44 Randall W. Magnuson, Commissioner

EAST COUNTY REGIONAL CENTER

Dept. 5: Alan B. Clements, Commissioner

Dept. 6: Christine K. Goldsmith, Judge (Reelection date: 2012 Primary Election)

Dept. 7: Lantz Lewis, Judge (Reelection date: 2010 Primary Election)

NORTH COUNTY REGIONAL CENTER

Dept. 15: Earl H. Maas III, Judge (Reelection date: ---- Primary Election)

Dept. 16: William S. Dato, Judge (Reelection date: 2012 Primary Election)

Dept. 17: Harry L. Powazek, Commissioner

Dept. 18: Eugenia Eyherabide, Judge (Reelection date: 2012 Primary Election)

Dept. 19: Joseph P. Brannigan, Judge (Reelection date: 2010 Primary Election)

SOUTH COUNTY REGIONAL CENTER

Dept. 6: Timothy B. Taylor, Judge (Reelection date: 2012 Primary Election)

Dept. 7: Susan P. Finlay, Judge (Reelection date: ---- Primary Election)

Message from the President

Greetings San Diego COPS Community! Happy New Year!

First of all, we should all give a warm thanks to Al Schafer for holding the group together through some lean times. Our move to the Men's Legal Center has been positive and has brought more people and new energy to SD COPS.

I have a few ideas for 2007:

1. Let's be more active with the media under the rubric that "sunlight is the best disinfectant". I'll start the ball rolling by responding to a UT editorial this week.

2. As a member of Parents Without Partners, I'll explore joint projects.

3. We who support shared parenting are the beneficiaries of a lucky coincidence: The 2008 Iowa Caucus, the beginning of the new presidential election cycle, takes place in the only state that has a shared parenting law. We should work with groups in that state to publicize that crucial piece of legislation.

4. Let's encourage more women to be active with us, especially as members of the local steering committee. Shared parenting is NOT a male-only issue.

5. Let's set aside 15 minutes or so of our monthly meeting for information-sharing: tips on judges, attorneys, FCS mediators, speakers, etc.

6. Let's do a better job of starting our speakers at 7:00 and finishing close to 8:00, so we can cover other topics.

7. Let's make sure that all groups with a shared interest work closely together: CRISPE, Fathers4Justice, NCFM, etc. As the patriots said over 200 years ago: "We should all hang together or we will surely all hang separately!"

Cheers,

James Shaw

Director, Coalition of Parent Support -San Diego Chapter

Parent Support

· MONTHLY MEETINGS

COPS-San Diego holds monthly meetings as a free community service. We will usually have special guest speaker for the first hour. For the second, hour moms and dads can share stories and get feedback on how to handle difficult situations.

Recently we have hosted representatives from:

Kid's Turn San Diego

(if you or your organization would like to present at a COPS-SD meeting, please send your request to cops_cal@yahoo.com)

· SAN DIEGO MEN’S CENTER

The SD Men’s Center is a multi-service center that exists thanks to the tireless efforts of its director Harry Crouch and a generous contribution from the Men’s Legal Center. Ironically, Craig Candelore, senior attorney of the Men’s Legal Center, started the COPS San Diego Chapter.

The California Men’s Center provides free and for-fee services to the public. Services include education, referrals, limited case work, and paternity testing. The Center is expanding to provide a second-wives club, assistance with high conflict intervention, DV shelter services for men denied service from traditional shelters, and supervised exchange referrals for parents.

To learn more, visit the Center’s website, or give Harry a call at (619) 231-1909

· COFFEE at STARBUCKS

Come either join us the last or second to the last Saturday morning of each month around 9:00 a.m. for some coffee, camaraderie, and company. For more details on this informal get together, click here.

Upcoming Events

Continuing Projects

· Fundraising for Legislator Education

California Alliance for Families and Children (CAFC) is a gender-neutral 501(c)(3) organization based in Sacramento California, dedicated to the equal rights of men, women and children within family law. CAFC provides California policy makers with professional and accurate information regarding family law issues, providing for balanced and informed debate. CAFC also advocates for legislative reform and provides personal assistance to victims of the divorce industry. CAFC has been instrumental in numerous endeavors (some public, some not) that ultimately will lead to children having access to both parents instead of one or the other.

–PLEASE VISIT THE CAFC WEBSITE AND MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TODAY-

Our legislators are:

Senate

Dennis Hollingsworth -36th Senate District (Temecula)

Jim Battin -37th Senate District (Moreno Valley)

Bill Morrow -38th Senate District (Carlsbad)

Christine Kehoe -39th Senate District (San Diego)

Denise Moreno Ducheny -40th Senate District (Chula Vista)

Assembly

Mimi Walters -73rd Assembly District (Laguna Niguel)

Ray Haynes -66th Assembly District (Temecula)

Mark Wyland -74th Assembly District (Vista)