Game Theory and the Transformation of Family Law

“Integrates social science with game theory to provide new tools for reaching optimal outcomes in settlement negotiations. With the suggested procedures, the most contentious custody issues will be easier to manage. The recommended processes remove incentives for intractable conflicts while helping attorneys and mediators arm parents with the skills and mindset to keep future differences from escalating to full-fledged disputes. A unique and creative contribution to family law.”

“Our system definitely has flaws. This book offers up some very interesting ideas on how to solve the problems in that system. Hard to disregard this book.”

“Waldron and Koritzinsky have written a gem for anyone interested in conflict theory, family conflict, and divorce in particular. Taking a sophisticated approach to the analysis and application of game theory to divorce, they provide a powerful explanation of how divorce procedures are set up to increase conflict and how they can be altered to produce more effective, durable, and constructive outcomes. They provide a sophisticated conceptual analysis and at the same time an immensely practical approach to the overall process of divorce and to the specific issues that divorcees face. In the process, they make a significant contribution to our overall understanding of conflict and conflict intervention. I really liked the book.”

“The authors have given an intriguing analysis of why today’s family laws – structured to be fair and equal – actually discourage settlement and encourage litigation. They go on to explain the game-like nature of bargaining over many divorce issues, and the potential influence of the court on negotiation strategy. Lastly, they show some ways that the game of divorce negotiations may be modified and designed by the lawyers and parties to be more cooperative and effective in accomplishing both parties’ interests.”

“Game Theory and the Transformation of Family Law by family law attorney Allan R. Koritzinsky and psychologist Kenneth H. Waldron is a must read for any family law attorney who is interested in assisting the client in reaching fair solutions in divorce cases. The family law attorney cannot directly say to the client, “This is a game I would like you to play with your spouse” to resolve your custody and financial issues, because the attorney will hear “this is not a game to me”. However, artfully directed advice to the client, using the Game Theory techniques so well developed in this book, will defuse the anger generally present in most divorces and will help the parties and their children go separate ways successfully, instead of building mistrust and increasing conflicts. Having practiced family law for over 50 years, and having negotiated hundreds of settlements, the techniques learned from this excellent book will provide me more structure and insights regarding future settlements.”

“This book raises the reader’s consciousness to the danger of unintended consequences arising from seemingly rational decisions. Those unintended consequences may result in hurting rather than helping the person making the decision. The authors posit a formulaic approach to decision- making in order to maximize an optimum result and avoid unintended consequences. Whether one buys into the use of formulas, matrimonial lawyers reading this book will surely broaden their thinking when considering strategic or tactical decisions and thereby better advise their clients. The book suggests a sensible big picture approach for resolving divorce cases in a problem-solving manner and contrasts that to hardball negotiations and expensive litigation where both sides are trying to gain unwarranted advantages. I recommend this book to any matrimonial lawyer.”

“Think settling a divorce case is easy? It might be if there are no major issues involved. Otherwise, getting two people highly emotionally involved with each other to agree on every issue from children to money requires a great deal of skill. Fortunately, for divorce lawyers, there is a field of study available to help. Unfortunately, most divorce lawyers are not aware of this field or how it can help. The field is ‘game theory,’ and its application to divorce negotiations is remarkable. Now, a new book by a psychologist, Kenneth H. Waldron, and a divorce lawyer, Allan R. Koritzinsky, discusses the concept of game theory and its application to divorce. This book is must reading for every lawyer involved in this field.”

“Good family lawyers are problem solvers, sometimes having to resolve complex, problematical financial and parental disputes between high conflict adversarial parties. This book is a useful tool in aiding lawyers and mediators reach optimal results leading to settlement of the parties’ differences in a way that will have lifetime positive effects for all members of the family. There are no better words that a family lawyer can hear from a former client years after the divorce is final than “Thank you. You made a difference in my life.” This book and the game theory philosophy enhance the chances for that result.”

“Divorce is one of life’s most difficult events, following closely the trauma, pain and anger experienced by people who lost a spouse or a child by death. Attorneys, therapists, the court system, and many other professionals have attempted for years to properly address the challenging negatives experienced by divorcing parties. Many cases result in permanent scars and ongoing anger, which negatively impact the divorcing parties, their children, other family members and other individuals and businesses, which are negatively impacted by the divorce process and the results of that process.

In my almost half a century of divorce practice, I and the attorneys and other professionals helping divorcing parties have been seeking ways to improve the methodology and the process. We sought to reduce the personal and financial cost to the parties and everyone else involved in divorces.

Over the years, we made modest improvements, such as requiring mediation, other court-ordered efforts to resolve the disputes, involvement of psychologists and other helpful professionals. Unfortunately, we have not been able to overcome the many harmful and costly negatives created by emotional and financial impacts of divorce.

After many years of analysis, testing and creation, the book, Game Theory and the Transformation of Family Law, written by attorney Allan R. Koritzinsky and psychologist Kenneth H. Waldron, has been completed and will make a dramatic positive impact to divorce cases throughout the United States and beyond. 

This outstanding and creative methodology tool will enable the professionals involved in divorce and the courts to educate clients how to apply a new way of resolving the many issues involved in a divorce case. It will have a remarkable and positive impact, reversing the negatives of divorce, which have been in place for decades. The creative and simple processes create a new methodology which will dramatically and positively impact the entire divorce process. Simply stated, this outstanding creation will result in needed improvements in reaching fair agreements and will reduce dramatically the personal and financial costs incurred by divorcing parties and others negatively impacted by the divorce.

The many professionals helping in divorce cases will be educated by the new methodologies created and taught in the book. They will then teach the divorcing parties. This will enable the parties to apply the game theories to reach settlement much faster and at lower costs. It will reduce the negative costs in money, relationships, psychological impact and other negatives associated with divorce. The effect of the application of the methodologies contained in the book will dramatically improve the divorce process for all who are involved in it. 

If applied correctly, Game Theory and the Transformation of Family law is similar to the discovery and application of penicillin, with similar dramatic improvements to people’s lives.”