In the simplest terms, oversight means knowing what they do, how they spend their time. At the present no one in authority actually knows the full details. No one in the higher levels of the Judicial Branch has a complete picture of "time spent" on your case, my case, the hundreds of cases that pass through Maine's family courts. No authority knows how many cases a Guardian ad litem is handling, which courts/judges use the most Guardians ad litem. Or what is the grand total amount of every rostered Guardian ad litem's billable hours for, say, the month of May? No one knows. There is no oversight.
In a word, no one has administrative or managerial oversight of Maine's Guardian ad litem program. No one has program numbers. And ... without numbers, data, statistics, it is impossible to describe the scope and size of Guardian ad litem program problems rationally. It is impossible, to have a rational conversation between the public and various branches of government and impossible to seek rational solutions to a program that cries out for "oversight".
We would suggest that there are two kinds of "oversight", (a) oversight of ongoing cases in a divorce, which is sometimes called "case supervision", and (b) programmatic oversight, also called "programmatic administration or management". Supervision, though desirable is costly and would require a large, expensive cadre of supervisors to monitor and correct the work of Guardians ad litem. There is also the question of who would supervise the supervisors? Where would they fit in a bureaucratic chain of command?
To keep the complexities of an first-ever, Maine, oversight program relatively simple at the start, LD 872 has focused on program supervision, administrative supervision. Essentially it seeks answers to the questions about: "What are the numbers?" How is Guardian ad litem time spent? What are the billable hours? How do district courts differ in their use of Guardians ad litem? And ... are there significant differences in the profiles of individual Guardian ad litem activities? These are questions of huge interest to Maine children and families who pay dearly for this program.
UNIT OF MEASUREMENT THE Guardian ad litem's BILL: LD 872 already calls for standardization of all Maine Guardian ad litem's bills. Bills should be done monthly and should follow the itemization format used by lawyers: date, type of service, time spent, fee charged. It would cover such topics as reading e-mails, phone conversations, report writing, time spent with parties, time spent with child, collateral contacts, travel, court appearances, etc. We maintain that a standardized bill is a snapshot of what the Guardian ad litem claims to have done in any given month. It is a work activity profile. It is a record. It will be mandatory. There is minimal cost for this change.
COPIES OF ALL Guardian ad litem BILLS TO ADMINISTRATOR OF COURTS: We are strongly recommending that it should also be mandatory for all 280 rostered Maine Guardians ad litem to send electronic copies of their standardized monthly bills to the Administrators of the Courts at no charge to anyone. It would immediately, for the first time give the Judicial Branch massive amounts of hard, Guardian ad litem program data, which is currently totally lacking. It would give the necessary data for first-ever program oversight of Maine's 280 Guardians ad litem. It should prove interesting and useful to the legislature, the public and the Judicial Branch. It will help to guide beneficial program changes for Maine's Guardian ad litem program. It will be capable of answering many important program questions.
OVERSIGHT QUESTIONS FOR NEW Guardian ad litem DATA: We believe that inasmuch as the proposed oversight data is a tool, the Judicial Branch should have a primary interest in deciding how to use this new tool. They should suggest their own questions for which they want answers from the data.
But in addition to the Judicial Branch we have our own questions too.
OUR QUESTIONS: How many Guardians ad litem are at work in Maine courts each month? How many separate cases are Guardians ad litem carrying? How much time is spent in reading e-mails? Doing reports? Making phone calls? Seeing the child in the case? Travel? Court time? Which courts use Guardians ad litem the most? How do Guardian ad litem activity profiles differ? What is the range of monthly billable hours for Guardians ad litem? What is the total amount for all Guardian ad litem bills in each month? In a year? Are there associations between certain Guardians ad litem, certain lawyers and/or certain judges?
This is for starters, as a "warm-up".
WHO WOULD WORK WITH THIS DATA AND COSTING THIS ACTIVITY? We suggest that the Administrator of the courts would be the proper locus for this activity, and that it should be attached to the component already doing administrative statistics. By our reckoning the costs ought to be minimal. Billing is already being done by Guardians ad litem at no cost to the legislature, changing to a standardized billing format should not add to cost. Sending an electronic copy of all monthly Guardian ad litem's bills to the JB should be a no cost event. There is the need for a clerk to organize the data in such a manner as to answer previously defined questions. There is the need for an existing administrative statistician to provide supervision and direction.
We would suggest that all of this could be done for $75,000.00 or less, including overhead. The $200,000.00 fiscal estimate currently attached to this bill for unspecified oversight functions seems expensive. We offer a competitive idea.
For more information on Guardian ad litem reform please contact us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com or like us on Facebook for up to date information. In addition National GAL alert is conducting an informal survey on the cost and performance of Guardians ad litem. If you have 5 minutes we would encourage you to take one or both surveys. The data collected is being published and will be updated live in the future.
Guardian ad litem Cost Survey
Guardian ad litem Performance Survey
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Guardian ad litem Recommends Using Surrogate Father for Re-Introduction
Back in March of this year we published the story of a parent whose child was forced to spend a weekend with a Guardian ad litem. This was to be just the child and Guardian ad litem who was at the time 60 years old. It was a story that showed how wrong the present situation is and has been. March 28 parents were told by the divorce industry that the system we have is better than nothing. Is it really?
Today we have another example of a Guardian ad litem whose judgment is questionable. Where the thought process lacks any common sense and the idea that this was accepted by the presiding Judge without the thought of questioning the Guardian ad litem.
The Guardian ad litem for this case is one of the most senior and respected Guardians ad litem in the state – making the story that much worse.
The child lived with his mother as the father lived out of state some 1000 miles away and had little to do with his son for most of his life. The divorce then custody changed this as the father had renewed interest in his child. Because the child had little contact with his father in many years the Guardian ad litem thought a reintroduction of father and son was in order. Now remember the father lived about 1000 miles away making reunification visits impossible. As a Guardian ad litem and officer of the court the specialized training that is involved gives powers that we as parents lack (sarcasm here). Why else would this senior Guardian ad litem with years of training suggested that a surrogate father take the place of the father?
That is correct – the Guardian ad litem suggested and forced the child to go through the reintroduction with the surrogate father. To add to the creepy factor. This was done in a parking lot with the boy and 'father' alone in a car for the prescribed time that the Guardian ad litem felt necessary. The mother was allowed to be at the same parking lot but at some distance from this reunification therapy. While the Guardian ad litem thought this was a great idea and he probably thought he was doing a good thing the opposite happened. The mother was by all rights upset and out raged with this arrangement and complained, and complained loudly. What did this do? Well for those of you who operate within the realm of common sense – nothing – despite what you may think. It did escalate the conflict and tension in this custody dispute.
Stories like this scream as to why Guardians ad litem and the Divorce Industry left to their own devices for so long have corrupted a system and themselves. How can anyone believe that this kind behavior within our court system would be deemed acceptable and professional? Yet there are many parents that become trapped – trying to correct what is so wrong but finding themselves confronted by an uncaring system.
On March 28 2013 we heard that “the system we have is better than nothing, so we support that system – regardless of the many flaws – because its all that we can afford” - the question we must ask is if we really can afford the many problems of our current system? Can we afford to continue to hurt families and children because we cannot afford to do better? Can we afford to allow the Divorce Industry and Guardians ad litem to continue to fly under the radar?
Please contact us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com or find us on Facebook for up to date information.
Today we have another example of a Guardian ad litem whose judgment is questionable. Where the thought process lacks any common sense and the idea that this was accepted by the presiding Judge without the thought of questioning the Guardian ad litem.
The Guardian ad litem for this case is one of the most senior and respected Guardians ad litem in the state – making the story that much worse.
The child lived with his mother as the father lived out of state some 1000 miles away and had little to do with his son for most of his life. The divorce then custody changed this as the father had renewed interest in his child. Because the child had little contact with his father in many years the Guardian ad litem thought a reintroduction of father and son was in order. Now remember the father lived about 1000 miles away making reunification visits impossible. As a Guardian ad litem and officer of the court the specialized training that is involved gives powers that we as parents lack (sarcasm here). Why else would this senior Guardian ad litem with years of training suggested that a surrogate father take the place of the father?
That is correct – the Guardian ad litem suggested and forced the child to go through the reintroduction with the surrogate father. To add to the creepy factor. This was done in a parking lot with the boy and 'father' alone in a car for the prescribed time that the Guardian ad litem felt necessary. The mother was allowed to be at the same parking lot but at some distance from this reunification therapy. While the Guardian ad litem thought this was a great idea and he probably thought he was doing a good thing the opposite happened. The mother was by all rights upset and out raged with this arrangement and complained, and complained loudly. What did this do? Well for those of you who operate within the realm of common sense – nothing – despite what you may think. It did escalate the conflict and tension in this custody dispute.
Stories like this scream as to why Guardians ad litem and the Divorce Industry left to their own devices for so long have corrupted a system and themselves. How can anyone believe that this kind behavior within our court system would be deemed acceptable and professional? Yet there are many parents that become trapped – trying to correct what is so wrong but finding themselves confronted by an uncaring system.
On March 28 2013 we heard that “the system we have is better than nothing, so we support that system – regardless of the many flaws – because its all that we can afford” - the question we must ask is if we really can afford the many problems of our current system? Can we afford to continue to hurt families and children because we cannot afford to do better? Can we afford to allow the Divorce Industry and Guardians ad litem to continue to fly under the radar?
Please contact us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com or find us on Facebook for up to date information.
Monday, May 27, 2013
How are Guardians ad litem doing? We want to know
How well has the Guardian ad litem worked for the state or for the people involved in a case? Are there problems with one Guardian ad litem or a Judge? No one knows because there is no public data showing where problems may be - so citizens of the state cannot make informed decisions about a Guardian ad litem. The Judicial Branch does not know and so they cannot correct problems with a Guardian ad litem, court or Judge.
In the past there was no opportunity to state whether the cost of a Guardian ad litem service was worth it. There was no opportunity to rate that service which had been provided. Any complaint or review would be through the courts and we have all seen just how effective that is in correcting any kind of problem. Or for letting consumers know what to expect.
That is until today.
There are two survey's that are being made available to those who have been influenced by a Guardian ad litem and the Judge that manages him/her. These survey's are short and you have the opportunity to add as much detail as you feel is necessary. While the Guardian ad litem name is asked the results for that person will not be displayed at this time. You do not have to give this persons name nor do you have to give your name. If you are interested in knowing whether a particular Guardian ad litem has been reviewed - that request can be emailed and some basic information can be provided as well as the names of others who have had an experience with that Guardian ad litem.
Thank you for taking the time to fill out one or both of these surveys. Please feel free to have family members, friends or others that were impacted by the Guardian ad litem recommendation(s) fill out the survey's.
NationalGALalert
Guardian ad litem Performance Survey
Guardian ad litem cost survey
For more information on Guardians ad litem please contact us at MeGALalert@gmail.com or like us on Facebook for up to date information.
In the past there was no opportunity to state whether the cost of a Guardian ad litem service was worth it. There was no opportunity to rate that service which had been provided. Any complaint or review would be through the courts and we have all seen just how effective that is in correcting any kind of problem. Or for letting consumers know what to expect.
That is until today.
There are two survey's that are being made available to those who have been influenced by a Guardian ad litem and the Judge that manages him/her. These survey's are short and you have the opportunity to add as much detail as you feel is necessary. While the Guardian ad litem name is asked the results for that person will not be displayed at this time. You do not have to give this persons name nor do you have to give your name. If you are interested in knowing whether a particular Guardian ad litem has been reviewed - that request can be emailed and some basic information can be provided as well as the names of others who have had an experience with that Guardian ad litem.
Thank you for taking the time to fill out one or both of these surveys. Please feel free to have family members, friends or others that were impacted by the Guardian ad litem recommendation(s) fill out the survey's.
NationalGALalert
Guardian ad litem Performance Survey
Guardian ad litem cost survey
For more information on Guardians ad litem please contact us at MeGALalert@gmail.com or like us on Facebook for up to date information.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Will Overseers of the Bar Solve the problem of Guardian ad litem Oversight?
We have been told that the Overseers of the Bar would provide an
effective means of Guardian ad litem oversight and management. We have
also been told that the means of filing a complaint through the
Overseers is something that the average person would be able to
understand and do on their own. While it is true that anyone can file a
complaint - and that a lawyer is not needed - as many are being told.
The problem is understanding the Rules and Rules for professional
Conduct.
Because the public are being told how easy it is to understand what they will have to deal with we are publishing both the Rules and Rules of Professional Conduct so that you can get a preview of what is to come for Guardians ad litem. Before diving in and reading here are some statistics:
The rules consist of 62 pages and 40205 words. The Rules of Professional Conduct comes in at a lite 138pages and 87700 words (the current flawed Rules and Standards for Guardians ad litem come in at a hefty 18 pages and 8008 words). Both of these documents are allegedly easier to understand and as Rep Jarrod Crockett would have us believe - make for an easier process for management, oversight and more importantly filing a complaint. It is nice to know that Rep Crockett is so concerned about making things easier for his constituents and citizens of Maine as to support a process that only a lawyer could love.
For more information please contact us at MeGALalert@gmail.com or keep up to date on Facebook.
We present to you a preview of what is to come courtesy of the Maine Overseers of the Bar:
pdf versions -
The Rules
The Rules for Professional Conduct
Because the public are being told how easy it is to understand what they will have to deal with we are publishing both the Rules and Rules of Professional Conduct so that you can get a preview of what is to come for Guardians ad litem. Before diving in and reading here are some statistics:
The rules consist of 62 pages and 40205 words. The Rules of Professional Conduct comes in at a lite 138pages and 87700 words (the current flawed Rules and Standards for Guardians ad litem come in at a hefty 18 pages and 8008 words). Both of these documents are allegedly easier to understand and as Rep Jarrod Crockett would have us believe - make for an easier process for management, oversight and more importantly filing a complaint. It is nice to know that Rep Crockett is so concerned about making things easier for his constituents and citizens of Maine as to support a process that only a lawyer could love.
For more information please contact us at MeGALalert@gmail.com or keep up to date on Facebook.
We present to you a preview of what is to come courtesy of the Maine Overseers of the Bar:
pdf versions -
The Rules
The Rules for Professional Conduct
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Guardian ad litem reform - LD872 Our View on How it Should be Revised
On Thursday May 9 at 2 pm at the State House in Augusta (room 428) there will be the final hearing on the bill LD872. What will it look like? We have caught glimpses of the direction the bill may take. Chairperson Sen. Linda Valentino we are told wants unanimous backing of this bill in order for it to move on. What will it look like? There are four points that we would like to see incorporated in LD872.
Guardian ad litem Job description: In the original LD872 (link to original concept - this is not the finished bill) it was presented that the role of Guardian ad litem is missing a clearly defined job description. This is one of the recommendations made by OPEGA in 2006. This Job description should be a statute - rules and standards are disposable as we have experienced many times. Judges have to comply with statutes.
- As a suggestion for a Guardian ad litem job description - A Guardian ad litem is a court appointed specialist in some contested divorces who has responsibilities to the court, the child and the parents. The Guardian ad litem is responsible to propose the best plan for the child(ren) custody arrangements in a disputed divorce. The starting point of a Guardians ad litem work is the presumption that every child needs both parents equally, unless, subsequently there are provable over-riding reasons to the contrary. To this end the Guardian ad litem collects relevant data for the court, interviews relevant people, forms a relationship with the child and proposes custody recommendations to the court, the child and the parties. In the event of a dispute about data or recommendations there should be an opportunity for open cross examination in court. Any additional activities undertaken by the Guardian ad litem with the parties which add to billable hours should be by contract for services mutually agreed to by the Guardian ad litem and the parties paying for the service and would not be covered by immunity
Guardian ad litem Complaint Protocol: The ability to file a complaint and having a clearly defined complaint protocol - Any complaint protocol should have a quality assurance and consumer protection goal. It should be readily accomplished 'pro se' by parties or others who have witnessed or experienced Guardian ad litem malpractice. It requires a comprehensive written instructions, standardized form to registering the complaint. An official should be available to aide those making a complaint and explain the steps in the complaint process. There should be instructions of what constitutes a legitimate complaint against a Guardian ad litem. Feedback and complaint status information are also needed. Apart from the investigation procedures there should be as much public transparency as possible and opportunities for full rebuttal at appropriate times in the procedure. When disciplinary or corrective action is taken this should be posted publicly for consumer protection. Dismissals of complaints should be explained to complainants in a way that is understandable.
It is inappropriate for a private - not for profit - organization funded by lawyers such as the Maine Overseers of the Bar to carry out public oversight function for Maine's court officials of any kind at any status level. It is inappropriate for the legislature to authorize Judicial function of oversight to private organizations the Overseers of the Bar. A private organization has no immediate accountability to Maine Government or to the people of the State of Maine. The Maine Guardian ad Litem Institute (MEGALI - a trade organization of the Guardian ad litem industry) or Chamber of Commerce as not for profit organizations are conceptually not too different as private organizations with a special interest focus as the Overseers of the Bar. While the Overseers of the Bar - as a guild - boasts perhaps a more distinguished membership than some of the aforementioned organizations - they are heavily identified as special interest and have no accountability to the public. The Guardian ad litem complaint process belongs under the direction of public government surveillance in the Judicial Branch or as a function of the Bureau of Financial Regulation.
Guardian ad litem Immunity - should only cover for those activities specifically covered by the core job description (see section 1). All non core activities, such as service contracts with parties for various expanded mission functions would not be immune from liability.
Parents as part of the Child's Best Interest. The best interest of the Child addresses the social, health and educational needs. In addition it needs an explicit statement that every child needs both parents as being in the child(ren) best interest. Every child(ren) should be presumed to need equal parenting time with both parents - unless there are specific proven reasons (hard evidence) why this should not happen. There should be an opportunity to debate this question fully in court. A Guardian ad litem opinion on "the best interest" is of no more value or validity than any other persons opinion. Facts should be what is needed to move from a 50/50 parenting split for a child. This shift in emphasis would aim at diminishing the destructive, competitive and adversarial atmosphere that is present in custody disputes - starting with equity of custody as a given. It would place the burden of evidentiary proof for less than equitable custody on the Guardian ad litem - and not the parties.
With LD872 we have a state to craft a role that works for the child, the parents and family as well as the courts. Or with LD872 our Representatives can pander to the powerful special interest that talk of equitable change for children and parents. Please contact our Representatives and help to educate them on the need for meaningful reform. Please contact us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com for contact information on your Representative. Follow us on Facebook for up to date information on Guardian ad litem reform.
Guardian ad litem Job description: In the original LD872 (link to original concept - this is not the finished bill) it was presented that the role of Guardian ad litem is missing a clearly defined job description. This is one of the recommendations made by OPEGA in 2006. This Job description should be a statute - rules and standards are disposable as we have experienced many times. Judges have to comply with statutes.
- As a suggestion for a Guardian ad litem job description - A Guardian ad litem is a court appointed specialist in some contested divorces who has responsibilities to the court, the child and the parents. The Guardian ad litem is responsible to propose the best plan for the child(ren) custody arrangements in a disputed divorce. The starting point of a Guardians ad litem work is the presumption that every child needs both parents equally, unless, subsequently there are provable over-riding reasons to the contrary. To this end the Guardian ad litem collects relevant data for the court, interviews relevant people, forms a relationship with the child and proposes custody recommendations to the court, the child and the parties. In the event of a dispute about data or recommendations there should be an opportunity for open cross examination in court. Any additional activities undertaken by the Guardian ad litem with the parties which add to billable hours should be by contract for services mutually agreed to by the Guardian ad litem and the parties paying for the service and would not be covered by immunity
Guardian ad litem Complaint Protocol: The ability to file a complaint and having a clearly defined complaint protocol - Any complaint protocol should have a quality assurance and consumer protection goal. It should be readily accomplished 'pro se' by parties or others who have witnessed or experienced Guardian ad litem malpractice. It requires a comprehensive written instructions, standardized form to registering the complaint. An official should be available to aide those making a complaint and explain the steps in the complaint process. There should be instructions of what constitutes a legitimate complaint against a Guardian ad litem. Feedback and complaint status information are also needed. Apart from the investigation procedures there should be as much public transparency as possible and opportunities for full rebuttal at appropriate times in the procedure. When disciplinary or corrective action is taken this should be posted publicly for consumer protection. Dismissals of complaints should be explained to complainants in a way that is understandable.
It is inappropriate for a private - not for profit - organization funded by lawyers such as the Maine Overseers of the Bar to carry out public oversight function for Maine's court officials of any kind at any status level. It is inappropriate for the legislature to authorize Judicial function of oversight to private organizations the Overseers of the Bar. A private organization has no immediate accountability to Maine Government or to the people of the State of Maine. The Maine Guardian ad Litem Institute (MEGALI - a trade organization of the Guardian ad litem industry) or Chamber of Commerce as not for profit organizations are conceptually not too different as private organizations with a special interest focus as the Overseers of the Bar. While the Overseers of the Bar - as a guild - boasts perhaps a more distinguished membership than some of the aforementioned organizations - they are heavily identified as special interest and have no accountability to the public. The Guardian ad litem complaint process belongs under the direction of public government surveillance in the Judicial Branch or as a function of the Bureau of Financial Regulation.
Guardian ad litem Immunity - should only cover for those activities specifically covered by the core job description (see section 1). All non core activities, such as service contracts with parties for various expanded mission functions would not be immune from liability.
Parents as part of the Child's Best Interest. The best interest of the Child addresses the social, health and educational needs. In addition it needs an explicit statement that every child needs both parents as being in the child(ren) best interest. Every child(ren) should be presumed to need equal parenting time with both parents - unless there are specific proven reasons (hard evidence) why this should not happen. There should be an opportunity to debate this question fully in court. A Guardian ad litem opinion on "the best interest" is of no more value or validity than any other persons opinion. Facts should be what is needed to move from a 50/50 parenting split for a child. This shift in emphasis would aim at diminishing the destructive, competitive and adversarial atmosphere that is present in custody disputes - starting with equity of custody as a given. It would place the burden of evidentiary proof for less than equitable custody on the Guardian ad litem - and not the parties.
With LD872 we have a state to craft a role that works for the child, the parents and family as well as the courts. Or with LD872 our Representatives can pander to the powerful special interest that talk of equitable change for children and parents. Please contact our Representatives and help to educate them on the need for meaningful reform. Please contact us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com for contact information on your Representative. Follow us on Facebook for up to date information on Guardian ad litem reform.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Guardians ad litem - Modern Societies Inquisitors
The Spanish Inquisition relied on denunciations that were anonymous - the courts tortured and condemned heretics - depriving them of their worldly belongings. In many cases these heretics were executed as a means of saving their souls.
Several hundred years later we have the family court system that is alive and well in the state feeding off of the stress, pain and confusion of parents. While modern society has progressed beyond the physical torture to purify the soul our courts and officers of the courts have perfected psychological torture as a means to purify parents and keep them in line. It is warped thinking on the part of an industry that has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade as Judges have outsourced their powers to the courts underlings - Guardians ad litem and Parental Coordinators - modern societies inquisitors.
While the names have changed the role has not. Modern inquisitors (Guardians ad litem, Parental Coordinators, Family Lawyers and the special interests) use the power that Judges have lent them and expanded upon that gift. Taking common sense and squeezing every drop of sense out so that people entering the court system are entering a system that is twisted and insane. Where all the rules of human decency are thrown out and where hearsay is fact when uttered by Guardians ad litem and Parental Coordinators. No where else but in today’s court is it acceptable for people to burn a child, abuse them, deprive a child of their childhood and time with one or both parents. All of this is done with the shield of "In the child's best interest" being used to protect warped reasoning and violating your Constitutional rights.
Think about this - in reviewing the actions of your Guardian ad litem or Parental Coordinator how open minded have the courts been in listening to you? Do you really believe the courts and the Inquisitors that work for them will change? In almost 40 years of having Guardians ad litem mixed up in the court system the only solid change that has come about has not been for the child or parents. Change has come for the benefit of the Guardian ad litem at the expense of your child(ren) and yourself. To believe that the courts are now capable of reform and have the ability to move from the card board box age into the digital age of management and oversight and you are just kidding yourself. Change is in the air not because of the realization our benevolent courts system have but because those forced into the use of the courts inquisitors have started to fight back. Any meaningful change to the system has to involve all parties - or the system will fail like it has for the past 4 decades.
Please contact us at MeGALalert@gmail.com or find us on Facebook for more information.
Several hundred years later we have the family court system that is alive and well in the state feeding off of the stress, pain and confusion of parents. While modern society has progressed beyond the physical torture to purify the soul our courts and officers of the courts have perfected psychological torture as a means to purify parents and keep them in line. It is warped thinking on the part of an industry that has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade as Judges have outsourced their powers to the courts underlings - Guardians ad litem and Parental Coordinators - modern societies inquisitors.
While the names have changed the role has not. Modern inquisitors (Guardians ad litem, Parental Coordinators, Family Lawyers and the special interests) use the power that Judges have lent them and expanded upon that gift. Taking common sense and squeezing every drop of sense out so that people entering the court system are entering a system that is twisted and insane. Where all the rules of human decency are thrown out and where hearsay is fact when uttered by Guardians ad litem and Parental Coordinators. No where else but in today’s court is it acceptable for people to burn a child, abuse them, deprive a child of their childhood and time with one or both parents. All of this is done with the shield of "In the child's best interest" being used to protect warped reasoning and violating your Constitutional rights.
Think about this - in reviewing the actions of your Guardian ad litem or Parental Coordinator how open minded have the courts been in listening to you? Do you really believe the courts and the Inquisitors that work for them will change? In almost 40 years of having Guardians ad litem mixed up in the court system the only solid change that has come about has not been for the child or parents. Change has come for the benefit of the Guardian ad litem at the expense of your child(ren) and yourself. To believe that the courts are now capable of reform and have the ability to move from the card board box age into the digital age of management and oversight and you are just kidding yourself. Change is in the air not because of the realization our benevolent courts system have but because those forced into the use of the courts inquisitors have started to fight back. Any meaningful change to the system has to involve all parties - or the system will fail like it has for the past 4 decades.
Please contact us at MeGALalert@gmail.com or find us on Facebook for more information.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Out Sourcing of Judicial Powers to Guardians ad litem a Violation of Constitutional Rights?
Our Courts are asking for trouble in letting Guardians ad litem and Parental Coordinators decide whether a child(ren) spend more time with one parent over another. Parents should not be put into a position of having to prove whether or not they are fit. It is also an abuse of judicial power by the courts, Guardians ad litem and Parental Coordinators if you as a parent are in fear of losing you child(ren). Our Judges tolerate and are encouraged to outsource their role to Guardians ad litem and Parental Coordinators. These quasi-judicial officers will quite often force parents into expensive investigations and examinations. This is a violation to be free of governmental/ judicial obstruction in the private lives of citizens.
Maine's Guardians ad litem and Parental Coordinators have been working with no oversight or accountability. There are quite a few in the state that have pushed the boundaries of their role to the point of abuse - Judicial Abuse, Guardian ad litem abuse and Parental Coordinator abuse. Your rights as a citizen as a parent in going through divorce are no less because of the circumstance of divorce. Yet time and again we have seen the basic rights that we often times take for granted - taken away or worse given away. The courts treat criminals with more respect and take great pains so as to not infringe on their basic rights. Yet divorcing parents are not given this same respect given to criminals.
You as a parent can do something about this. We encourage you to call your representative and tell them your story of Judicial Abuse. That our courts have failed us and to put oversight of Guardians ad litem and Parental Coordinators into the hands of this system is placing accountability in a branch of government that lost any respectable vision of what is right or wrong years ago. Our courts pander to the special interest that we have entrusted with protecting out children. Parents as a result suffer and pay for this.
Our Constitutional rights have and are being violated by court officers. This has been going on for years. It is time to take back what has been lost because it is in your child's best interest. Please contact us at NationalGALalert@ gmail.com or find us on Facebook for up to date dialogue on reforming the Guardian ad litem system in the state.
Please call your representatives on the Judiciary Committee and let them know how you feel about proposed Guardian ad litem oversight through the private organization - Maine Overseers of the Bar.
Contact information of the Judiciary Committee
Kimberly J. Monaghan-Derrig D Cape Elizabeth (207) 749-9443
Jennifer DeChant D Bath (207) 442-8486
Michael G. Beaulieu R Auburn (207) 784-0036
Matthew W. Moonen D Portland (207) 332-7823
Jarrod S. Crockett R Bethel (207) 875-5075
Linda M. Valentino D York (207) 282-5227
John L. Tuttle Jr. D York (207) 324-5964
Lisa Renee Villa D Harrison (207) 776-3118
David C. Burns R Washington (207) 733-8856
Charles R. Priest D Brunswick (207) 725-5439
Stephen W. Moriarty D Cumberland (207) 829-5095
Anita Peavey Haskell R Milford (207) 827-7296
Stacey K. Guerin R Glenburn (207) 884-7118
Wayne T. Mitchell D Penobscot Nation (207) 827-0392
Maine's Guardians ad litem and Parental Coordinators have been working with no oversight or accountability. There are quite a few in the state that have pushed the boundaries of their role to the point of abuse - Judicial Abuse, Guardian ad litem abuse and Parental Coordinator abuse. Your rights as a citizen as a parent in going through divorce are no less because of the circumstance of divorce. Yet time and again we have seen the basic rights that we often times take for granted - taken away or worse given away. The courts treat criminals with more respect and take great pains so as to not infringe on their basic rights. Yet divorcing parents are not given this same respect given to criminals.
You as a parent can do something about this. We encourage you to call your representative and tell them your story of Judicial Abuse. That our courts have failed us and to put oversight of Guardians ad litem and Parental Coordinators into the hands of this system is placing accountability in a branch of government that lost any respectable vision of what is right or wrong years ago. Our courts pander to the special interest that we have entrusted with protecting out children. Parents as a result suffer and pay for this.
Our Constitutional rights have and are being violated by court officers. This has been going on for years. It is time to take back what has been lost because it is in your child's best interest. Please contact us at NationalGALalert@ gmail.com or find us on Facebook for up to date dialogue on reforming the Guardian ad litem system in the state.
Please call your representatives on the Judiciary Committee and let them know how you feel about proposed Guardian ad litem oversight through the private organization - Maine Overseers of the Bar.
Contact information of the Judiciary Committee
Kimberly J. Monaghan-Derrig D Cape Elizabeth (207) 749-9443
Jennifer DeChant D Bath (207) 442-8486
Michael G. Beaulieu R Auburn (207) 784-0036
Matthew W. Moonen D Portland (207) 332-7823
Jarrod S. Crockett R Bethel (207) 875-5075
Linda M. Valentino D York (207) 282-5227
John L. Tuttle Jr. D York (207) 324-5964
Lisa Renee Villa D Harrison (207) 776-3118
David C. Burns R Washington (207) 733-8856
Charles R. Priest D Brunswick (207) 725-5439
Stephen W. Moriarty D Cumberland (207) 829-5095
Anita Peavey Haskell R Milford (207) 827-7296
Stacey K. Guerin R Glenburn (207) 884-7118
Wayne T. Mitchell D Penobscot Nation (207) 827-0392
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