Setting Records - Vow renewal | Divorce - 9/25/07

[Smartmarriages]

- THROWING DOWN THE GAUNTLET!
- THE KIND OF RECORD YOU DON'T WANT TO SET: LONGEST DIVORCE CASE

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- THROWING DOWN THE GAUNTLET!

This is from this week's newsletter from Dave and Liz Percival at UK
Marriage News: http://www.2-in-2-1.co.uk

They plan beat not only the Australian record but also the 600+ vow renewal
in the Chicago diocese.  And, bet they can.  Marriage Week originated in the
UK.  Are we just going to sit on our thumbs and let them walk away with it?
He's got Geldof.  Maybe we can get Good Morning American or some such into
this....
- diane 

Lets blow this record!!
I make no apologies that this idea isn¹t original ­ indeed I¹d like to
acknowledge the role Diane Sollee and the SmartMarriages team have had over
the years. After all her coalition has been highly instrumental in driving
the pro-marriage education agenda in the US with considerable success. Their
annual conference attracts over 2500 ³educators² to a jamboree of programmes
and seminars aimed at raising their game. She picked up the boast from
Sydney Australia to having hosted the largest ever simultaneous renewal of
wedding vows ­ some 278 of them. No sooner was the ink dry on this than a
catholic group in US politely pointed out that they had had 600+ to an
event. Diane has challenged her readers to top that number.
 
I¹d like to challenge our readership not just to beat it, but to blow it out
of the water! How about a UK wide campaign for next Marriage Week to get
couples across the country simultaneously to renew their vows? What if we
could get one of the big daily newspapers, or a radio or TV station to pick
up the idea and broadcast the vows say at 3.00pm on the Marriage Week
Saturday. Supposing every church and group that¹s run any kind of marriage
course were to say ³We¹re up for this² and were to open it¹s doors for the
afternoon  - or what if the Premiership football grounds were to offer to
broadcast it just before kick-off and have a special family friendly day at
their grounds?
 
I have no idea how to get something like this off the ground ­ it needs a
Geldof like figure to galvanise some of the key media folks to get it to
have some traction in the press etc.
 
But think what a shout of affirmation it would give to marriages up and down
the country ­ thousands of people turning to their spouses and saying
³you¹re special, and I want to re-affirm my commitment to you!² Think of the
signal it would send to the politicians ­ a message that the ³silent
majority² still believe passionately in marriage.
 
Let me know what you think ­ are you up for this ­ and will you help? Do let
us know!
 
And yes, how ever much I admire the US approach on marriage education,  it
is one record I¹d dearly love to see residing in the UK !

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- THE KIND OF RECORD YOU DON'T WANT TO SET: LONGEST DIVORCE CASE

[Sharing this just to remind us of how painful, wasteful, ridiculous things
can get when it comes to marriage, divorce, and kids' lives. - diane]

Judge grants father custody in state's longest divorce case
Boston.com 
September 25, 2007

HARTFORD, Conn. --An 86-day, $13 million divorce trial has ended with a
judge awarding a Westport travel magnate sole custody of his four children
and the right to keep most of his fortune.

In a written ruling, Judge Holly Abery-Wetstone said Nancy Tauck's claims
that her ex-husband possessed child pornography and molested two of his
children were "false and spurious."

"This case represents not a victory for either parent, but a tragedy for
everyone involved," Abery-Wetstone wrote.

She awarded Peter Tauck sole custody of the couple's children, ages 5 to 10.
She said that as a result of Nancy Tauck's actions, two children were put
through interviews for sexual abuse and all started therapy.

The trial easily beat the previous state record of 37 trial days for a
divorce case and may have set a national record as well.

"This couple fought tooth and nail over every possible issue, generating new
issues whenever possible," Abery-Wetstone wrote.

At first, Nancy Tauck, 48, will be limited to monitored 10-minute daily
phone conversations with each child.

She can earn additional time with her children by completing an inpatient
alcohol rehabilitation program and months of supervised visitation.

Peter Tauck, 50, must attend at least two Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a
week, continue treatment for attention deficit disorder, and employ a
full-time nanny.

Nancy Tauck wanted 55 percent of her husband's approximately $50 million net
worth and alimony of $125,000 a month for 17 years.

Instead, Peter Tauck was ordered to pay $33,333 a month for six years and
$20,833 per month for two years after that. He gets to keep the family's
$5.7 million Westport home and $3.6 million vacation home in Lake Placid,
N.Y. He must pay Nancy Tauck $7 million, with $2 million going directly to
her lawyers, and $1 million a year for the next five years.

A message seeking comment was left Tuesday with Nancy Tauck's attorney,
Wayne D. Effron.

Attorney Gaetano Ferro, who represented the children, declined comment to
The Hartford Courant.

Peter Tauck's attorney, Tom Colin, said his favorite part of the 132-page
ruling is the judge's signature at the end.

"Because it means it's over, and hopefully now this family can move on with
its life, peacefully, once and for all," Colin said. "This was the most
intense, contentious case I've been involved in, without a doubt."


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