Class action lawsuit filed over child custody cases in Oklahoma

Parents who don't have custody of their kids filed class action lawsuits all across the country Friday. The group wants better access to their childrenâ€™s lives. <br/><br/>Tulsa's group is called

Friday, September 17th 2004, 9:50 am

By: News On 6

Parents who don't have custody of their kids filed class action lawsuits all across the country Friday. The group wants better access to their childrenâ€™s lives.

Tulsa's group is called "Equal Is Equal." It says state courts are going against the constitution by giving divorced parents unequal access to their children. They say the bottom line is that kids need both parents, even if they're not married.

Equal is Equal president Bob Batterbee: "Well, we're trying to get the states to recognize the equal rights and the equal protection under the 14th Amendment. And to allow parents to be equally involved in the raising of their children and stop destroying the family."

Batterbee says his group filed federal lawsuits because state courts havenâ€™t listened to them.