1
2
3
Attorney for Petitioner __
4
5
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA
6
COUNTY OF
7
In re the Marriage of:
8
9
Petitioner:
10
and
11
_______________________
Respondent: ________________________
12
13
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
CASE NO. XX XX XXXX
DECLARATION OF MICHAEL BONNEAU
Assigned for all purposes to:
Honorable _____________
Dept: ____
14
15
I, MICHAEL BONNEAU, declare as follows:
1.
16
I am a Vocational Training Counselor. I am submitting this declaration in support of
17
Petitioner’s request for Respondent to undergo a vocational examination. I know of the facts stated
18
herein of my own personal knowledge and, if called upon to do so, I could and would competently
19
testify thereto under oath.
20
2.
21
(714) 848-4919.
22
3.
23
My business address is 16152 Beach Blvd., Suite 270, Huntington Beach, CA 92647,
My qualifications as a vocational training counselor are set forth in my attached
curriculum vitae which is attached hereto as Exhibit “A” and incorporated herein by this reference.
24
4.
I have been qualified as a vocational training counselor expert in more than 150 cases
25
before the Orange County Superior Court. I have also been qualified as a vocational training
26
counselor expert in cases before the Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego and San Bernardino Superior
27
Courts.
28
1
DECLARATION OF MICHAEL BONNEAU
1
5.
I have been qualified as an expert in various types of proceedings, including, but not
2
limited to dissolution actions, child custody actions, personal injury suits, medical malpractice suits,
3
worker’s compensation and employment law cases. I have been conducting these examinations and
4
offering expert testimony in this area since 1987.
5
6.
I have met with more than 4,500 individuals in my 29 plus years performing these
6
examinations. In these meetings, I have interviewed individuals and administered various tests to
7
determine their ability to become employed. The tests I administered to individuals throughout the
8
years include, but are not limited to the following: Oasis Aptitude Survey, Wide Range Achievement
9
Test, Gates Maginitie Reading Test and the Raven.
10
7.
I am also qualified to administer and interpret inventories for assessing career
11
potential. Some of these inventories that I have administered throughout my practice include but are
12
not limited to the Strong Interest Inventory, the Career Orientation Placement Survey and the Myers
13
Briggs Type Indicator.
14
8.
I received specific training on administering and interpreting the Strong Interest
15
Inventory and the Career Orientation Placement Survey during my Masters Degree program. The
16
Myers Briggs Type Indicator is an inventory that became available for administration during the
17
early 1990’s.
18
Placement Survey tests since approximately 1978.
19
regarding the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and have administered the Myers Briggs Type Indicator
20
in my practice for approximately twenty years plus.
21
9.
I have administered the Strong Interest Inventory and the Career Orientation
I have studied the literature and manuals
In order to further my ability to administer these career assessment inventories, and to
22
keep abreast in the latest developments regarding the application and interpretation of these tests, I
23
have attended various seminars and conferences during my career that have covered how to apply
24
these tests and interpret the results. In addition, I review and study on a continuous basis a litany of
25
independent trade manuals, books, and journal articles that analyze and review how to administer
26
and interpret these career assessment inventories.
27
28
10.
After my completion of the interview process, I then assess the individual’s
marketable skills by reviewing their test and inventory results as well as my notes from these
2
DECLARATION OF MICHAEL BONNEAU
1
interviews.
2
physical and metal health, previous education and experience, as well as time and geographic
3
mobility constraints.
4
11.
I assess these marketable skills by taking into consideration the individual’s age,
Throughout my 29 plus years of performing these examinations, I have taken various
5
courses and attended various seminars and conferences to further my ability to perform these
6
evaluations.
7
Behavior, Transferable Skill Analysis, and Interview Techniques. In fact, I have also been selected
8
to speak at various times in regard to the area of vocational examinations. I have spoken at the
9
CARRP Conference 2002 regarding advanced family law vocational examination, as well as at the
10
2000 Southern California Rehabilitation Exchange regarding advanced family law vocational
11
examinations. In addition, I have been a guest speaker at numerous local bar association meetings,
12
including for the Orange County Bar Association.
13
12.
Some of these courses/conferences include topics regarding Expert Testimony
Educationally, I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Welfare that I obtained in
14
1974 from San Diego State University. I also have a Master of Science Degree in Rehabilitation
15
Counseling that I obtained in 1978 from San Diego State University. This Masters Degree is a
16
degree in the behavioral sciences area. The degree blends psychology with career counseling as well
17
as incorporating knowledge of disabilities for rehabilitation. As part of the master’s program I had
18
courses in statistics, test administration and interpretation all of which are utilized in a vocational
19
examination. I am also a Diplomate with the American Board of Vocational Experts and an
20
Independent Vocational Evaluator. I am a nationally Certified Rehabilitation Counselor.
21
13.
I have current knowledge of the current employment conditions, job market and
22
wages in the Orange County area. Approximately 95% of my practice is within the Orange County
23
area. I am able to review current information regarding the Orange County job market by keeping
24
up to date on publications from the Employment Development Dept. and U.S. Dept of Labor. I also
25
regularly conduct labor market surveys in specific job areas with local employers. Information
26
regarding wages and job availability are included in these surveys, as well as other published data
27
that I review from these as well as other private sources in conducting my examinations.
28
3
DECLARATION OF MICHAEL BONNEAU
1
14.
I am also aware of the various education and training programs that are available
2
within the Orange County area for an individual to become reemployed in various areas. I have in
3
the past quite often recommended that individuals need additional training or education in order to
4
become reemployed. In these instances, I am usually either aware or able to ascertain through
5
research what type of training there is available in the Orange County area and what are the costs
6
associated with this training. I written vocational rehabilitation plans within the worker’s
7
compensation area, recommending and researching various re-education plans for employment.
8
This includes receiving information from private schools, attending school fairs, and researching
9
certified private training programs through the State Bureau for Private Post Secondary Vocational
10
Education, all to become knowledgeable about the various education and training programs that
11
exist.
12
15.
As part of my practice, for the last 38 years I have been writing plans for
13
reemployment training and self employment outlining cost parameters for training and job placement
14
activities. All of this again is utilized in my vocational examinations.
15
16
MANNER AND SCOPE
16.
The proposed scope of the examination is as follows: This examination generally
17
takes four to six hours and consists of an in-depth personal interview, self-assessment exercises and
18
vocational testing as outlined previously in this declaration on Page 2. Michael Bonneau, a
19
vocational training counselor, will evaluate and document the referred spouse’s interests, skills,
20
values, educational background, work history, unpaid work experience, volunteer experience and
21
efforts to seek employment. Health, age and standard of living during the marriage, as well as
22
education and training needs will be taken into consideration when determining current and future
23
employability and earning capacity.
24
I submit to this Court that my qualifications as a vocational training counselor, as set forth in
25
my curriculum vitae attached as Exhibit “A”, satisfy the requirements set forth in Family Code
26
Sections 4331(d) and 4331(e) for serving as a vocational training counselor in this matter.
27
28
4
DECLARATION OF MICHAEL BONNEAU
1
I declare under the penalty of perjury, under the laws of the State of California, that the
2
foregoing is true and correct. Executed this __th day of _________ 20__ in Orange County,
3
California.
4
5
________________________________
MICHAEL BONNEAU
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
5
DECLARATION OF MICHAEL BONNEAU