Even experienced family law practitioners encounter emotional family law disputes that can be painful and difficult experiences for clients. As an attorney, you need to be able to plead your client's position in a persuasive manner, yet cover all the bases and give the decision-maker the facts needed to make an informed, fair decision. Order today to obtain practical suggestions for enhancing your courtroom performance and effectively acting on behalf of your clients.

1. Contested Custody Matters
2. Child Support
3. Finances and Property Division Issues
4. Legal Ethics - The Judicial View
5. Trial Practice Tips in Family Court
6. In the Best Interest of the Child
7. Domestic Violence

AM Session: 9:00 – 12:00
Panel Members:
Hon. Marlita A. Greve
Hon. Gary D. McKenrick
Hon. John G. Mullen
Hon. David H. Sivright Jr.
Moderator: Candy K. Pastrnak

1. CONTESTED CUSTODY MATTERS
   1. Evidence From the Child
   2. Timesharing
   3. Relocation
   4. Guardian ad Litem
   5. Experts: How to Use Them
2. CHILD SUPPORT
   1. Child Support Guidelines and Statutes
   2. Child Support and Maintenance Case Law
   3. Support of Children with Special Needs
3. FINANCES AND PROPERTY DIVISION ISSUES
   1. Marital Estate Statute: Initial Determination of Estate, Division of Estate, Inherited Property, Pre-Marital Property
   2. Dissipation of Marital Assets
   3. Case Law: Property Included in the Marital Estate, Factors Considered When Including or Excluding Property From the Marital Estate

PM Session: 1:00 – 4:30
Panel Members:
Hon. Mark D. Cleve
Hon. Gary D. McKenrick
Hon. David H. Sivright Jr.
Hon. Nancy S. Tabor
Moderator: Candy K. Pastrnak

4. LEGAL ETHICS - THE JUDICIAL VIEW (1:00 - 2:00)
   1. Best Practices in Communication Between Bench and Bar
   2. The Boundary of Advocacy and Ethical Litigation Conduct
   3. Protecting Confidentiality
   4. Ethical Conduct in the Courtroom
   5. Keeping the Client in the Loop
   6. Whose Case Decision is it Anyway? When Attorneys Can and Cannot Speak in Clients' Stead
   7. Attorneys' Fees
   8. Effective and Ethical Lawyer Advertising
5. TRIAL PRACTICE TIPS IN FAMILY COURT
   1. Effective Discovery
   2. Pretrial Procedures
   3. Preparation of Witnesses
   4. Effective Use of Income and Expense Declarations
   5. Effective Use of Disclosure Documents
   6. Effective Presentation of Evidence
   7. Chambers Conferences
   8. Professionalism
6. IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD
   1. Best Interests of Children vs. Client's Goals
   2. Client in Need of a Guardian
   3. Client's Actions in Violation of Orders
7. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
   1. Acts Which Constitute Domestic Violence
   2. Ex-Parte Orders of Protection
   3. Permanent Orders of Protection
   4. Powers of the Court
   5. Civil Contempt
   6. Impact on Custody/Domestic Cases
   7. Impact on Firearm Ownership

HON. MARK D. CLEVE is a District Court Judge in District 7 in the state of Iowa.

HON. MARLITA A. GREVE is a District Court Judge in District 7 in the state of Iowa.

HON. GARY D. McKENRICK is a District Court Judge in District 7 in the state of Iowa.

HON. JOHN G. MULLEN is an Associate District Court Judge in District 7 in the state of Iowa.

HON. DAVID H. SIVRIGHT JR. is a District Court Judge in District 7 in the state of Iowa.

HON. NANCY S. TABOR is a District Court Judge in District 7 in the state of Iowa.

MODERATOR - CANDY K. PASTRNAK is a shareholder and the managing attorney in Davenport at Pastrnak Law Firm, P.C., where her practice includes all areas of litigation, including family law. Ms. Pastrnak is a member of the Iowa State, Illinois State, Scott County and Rock Island bar associations, and is authorized to practice in all state courts in Iowa and Illinois, the Southern District Court of Iowa, the Central District Court of Illinois, the U.S Court of Appeals for the 7th and 8th circuits, the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Illinois. She earned her B.A. degree from Drake University and her J.D. degree from Drake University Law School.

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