Making family law history on the page: Alumnus writes landmark book

Justice Harvey Brownstone, Law '80, of the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto has written a groundbreaking book and is donating his proceeds from its sale to the Children's Wish Foundation and other charities.

The most frustrating part of being a judge in the family court, as far as Justice Harvey Brownstone, Law ‘80, is concerned, is that by the time he meets the families in question, it's too late.  The relationship has turned into a battlefield.

That's one of the reasons Justice Brownstone wrote Tug of War: A Judge's Verdict on Separation, Custody Battles and the Bitter Realities of Family Court.  Due for release on April 1, 2009, by ECW Press, this is the first book ever written by a sitting family court judge on the matter for the general public.

"I have always thought," Justice Brownstone said, "‘if there were some way to reach these parents BEFORE they begin their litigation wars, maybe we could give them the vital information they need in order to prevent and avoid the damage that invariably results to families - and especially to children - when parents use the courts to resolve parenting conflicts.'"

While Justice Brownstone was careful to maintain his impartiality, dealing with issues of family violence and other "lightning rods" for special interest groups with tact and neutrality, the process of writing came very easily to him.

"I put into print the same things I've been saying to parents in court over the past 14 years," Justice Brownstone said.  "It was becoming increasingly apparent to me that the need for such a book was immense.  There are loads of self-help books out there for separating and divorcing parents, but none written by an actual judge, who can give people ‘the real deal' - an inside look at what family court is really all about."

The book cover for Tug of War: A Judge's Verdict on Separation, Custody Battles and the Bitter Realities of Family Court by Justice Harvey Brownstone. Click to Enlarge

While Tug of War is a groundbreaking book, Justice Brownstone isn't making a penny out of his efforts - all of the proceeds will be donated to the Children's Wish Foundation and other charities.  At the same time, Justice Brownstone hopes that the information in his book will be invaluable, not just to families, but also in educating the public on the role of judges and the family court system, and dispelling enduring myths about family law regarding child support and visitation rights.

"I know I'm breaking new ground by writing this book, but I believe that the time has come for judges to make themselves more accessible in this albeit limited way," Justice Brownstone said.  "There is great public interest out there in the justice system, and within clearly defined limits, I believe that judges have a role to play in making the system accessible and understandable by the users of the courts, in the way that I've tried to do in this book."

Justice Harvey Brownstone is a provincial court judge, presiding at the North Toronto Family Court.  Since graduating from Queen's Law in 1980, he has continued to be involved with his alma mater.  For the past 12 years, he has delivered the introductory lecture to first-year students in the Legal Foundations Program. He has participated twice as a panellist in the annual student-organized Paths Less Travelled Conference.  In 2007, with Ontario Superior Court Justice Helen MacLeod-Beliveau, Law ‘75, he co-led the fundraising campaign for alumni members of the judiciary to support renovations to the Lederman Law Library, raising in excess of $80,000.