Our Mission

Statement of Purpose

The Co-parenting Action Network (CoPAN) was formed to enact legislation promoting child-centered family law reform throughout the United States.

We are a diverse group of volunteers: mothers, fathers, technologists, and activists of all walks of life dedicated to these causes. Diversity of membership is a key to our success and all are welcome regardless of color, gender or political views. At the risk of alienating anyone from participating and contributing, we prefer to be addressed as a group, or a team (we, us) rather than any single individual, who might falsely be villainized by our opposition. We are a group of people bound by a mutual interest in family court reform and in that respect, we are led by the children.

Affectionately, our child leader in spirit might go by the name of Dorothy, who boldly seeks to expose and humanize that would-be tyrant behind the green curtain everywhere.

Guiding Principles

• Child-centered, ethical action.
• Support and care of their children are every parent's primary responsibility.
• All fit and loving parents must have equal opportunity to continue meaningful relationships with their children.
• We condemn domestic violence, and all of us have the duty to be vigilant in protecting all children.
• Governments require the participation of the people they serve. When injustice happens (and it will), it is the duty of the people to exercise their right to object within available mechanisms of government to seek justice and reform.
• Active participation; CoPAN is for those of us ready to take action now.
• Peaceable and respectful participation with firm resolve.
• Consistent, persistent, unified action at a massive scale to influence legislation.
• Non-partisan action; this is not a place to express political views, everyone is welcome to participate regardless of political inclination.
• Power in numbers, all are welcome and the will of the people is more powerful than money.
• Transparent, member-guided action and operations of this action network.
• Guided by principle, not by donors.

Goals

• Child-centered family law reform that recognizes fundamental human rights.
• End family court custody wars.
• Replace the centuries-old, single-custodial-parent family law policy with maximum involvement of both parents.
• Provide equal opportunity for child-parent relationships regardless of marital or relationship status.
• Family count judges are not authorized to arbitrarily separate children from fit and involved parents, and must uphold fundamental human rights.
• Allegations of child abuse must be taken seriously and prosecuted in criminal court under due process.
• Due process is required before parental rights are compromised long-term or permanently.
• Family law must recognize convicted child abusers and children must be protected from unfit parents.
• Tile IV-D & Title IV-E reform. Child support and child protection are essential functions of government, but giving States financial incentives to separate children from parents is not acceptable policy and leads to corruption.

Strategy

There's no magic here folks, the strategy is power in numbers at its core. We need people to put pressure on their local representatives on a massive, national scale. We provide tools to make it easy to identify and contact your legislators with just a few mouse clicks, and to organize and focus locally, district-by-district. Contact your representatives persistently, using a variety of methods until you receive a response. If you don't accept their response, continue to reach out and educate them on the importance of these issues.

Along with the numbers, is action coordinated at specific times to amplify our voices, so look out for carefully coordinated calls to action so our legislators can hear the voice of the people they serve loud and clear. Reform will not happen without involvement, tell others and get involved!