Mississippi custody law just changed in a significant way. On April 8, 2026, Governor Tate Reeves signed House Bill 1662, creating a rebuttable presumption that joint custody with equal parenting time is in the best interest of the child. In this episode of the R+E Podcast, Matt Easterling and Sarah Didlake sit down with former Chancellor Ed Patten to break down what that actually means—and what it doesn't. Does this create automatic 50/50 custody? How will judges apply a "rebuttable presumption" in real courtrooms? And what happens to the traditional best interest analysis? Drawing on decades of experience from the chancery bench, Judge Patten offers a practical, real-world perspective on how this law will play out for families across Mississippi. The conversation goes beyond headlines to explore litigation strategy, settlement dynamics, and the new approach to child support in equal parenting time cases, making this essential listening for parents, lawyers, and anyone working with families.

In this episode, Craig sits down with retired Chancellor Ed Patten for a thoughtful, behind-the-scenes look at a career spent at the intersection of law and real life. Judge Patten's path to the bench wasn't linear—he began as a pharmacist before earning his law degree from Ole Miss and building a successful legal practice in Hazlehurst, eventually serving five terms over more than two decades as Chancellor of Mississippi's Fifteenth Chancery Court District. In the first part of our conversation, Judge Patten reflects on his upbringing, his transition into law, and what led him to the bench, while offering a clear picture of what a chancellor actually does and the weight of decisions that shape families, estates, and futures. In the second segment, we explore his transition into mediation and how his role has shifted from decision-maker to facilitator, breaking down the critical differences between having your case decided by a judge versus resolving it through negotiation. Along the way, Judge Patten shares practical insight, hard-earned wisdom, and a grounded perspective on conflict, responsibility, and what ultimately leads to better outcomes for the people involved.

Divorce and family conflict can push people into survival mode. A text message, tense conversation, or co-parenting issue can quickly trigger stress that makes it hard to think clearly or respond calmly. In this episode, divorce attorney Craig Robertson and R+E client advocate, former client, and meditation practitioner Mac Chaney are joined by yoga and meditation teacher Amy Wilson to discuss practical ways to calm the nervous system and create space between what happens and how you respond. Amy teaches at Glow Yoga Studio in Gulf Shores, Alabama, and has more than 900 hours of training in Vinyasa and Hatha yoga, including study with Sri Dharma Mittra at Dharma Yoga in New York City and immersive meditation training with Hridaya Yoga in France and Mexico. Together they explore how stress affects the body during divorce, why breathwork can shift you out of fight-or-flight, and how meditation helps develop the pause between stimulus and response. Amy also introduces the yogic concept of the koshas, the idea that we are layered beings—body, breath, mind, and deeper awareness—and explains how working with the breath can help move us out of reactivity and back into clarity. The episode concludes with a short, guided meditation designed for anyone navigating the emotional intensity of divorce or family conflict.