If you think that the United States is the only place where they have issues with Family Courts and Guardians ad litem - think again. Canada, The United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. This story comes to us from the emerald island. The article points out - any person can claim to be a guardian ad litem; that the system is ‘chaotic’ and a ‘free for all’. Nothing new here for those who have had the mis-fortune of a malpracticed Guardian ad litem. Surprisingly reform is being called for by an agency that has 32 Guardians ad litem working.
Irish Examiner
Nine firms and individuals acting as guardians to children in childcare court proceedings have received sums over €200,000 each from the Child and Family Agency this year.
Figures released by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, show that, to the end of November this year, €6.76m has been paid to guardian ad litems — court appointees who act as independent voices for children in family law cases.
The 2014 figure compares to guardian ad litems receiving €7.18m in 2013.
In response to a freedom of information request, the figures show the largest provider or guardian ad litems services in the country, Barnardos-Beacon, this year received just over €3m for the service it provides.
Full story: Irish Examiner
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Georgia - Who guards the guardians?
Change the name of the state and this article can be applied to anywhere in the country. There are some great lines - especially towards the end of the article. Please note that you may have to answer a survey (1 question) in order to read the whole article.
The Augusta Chronicle
Are guardians ad litem indispensable legal advocates, or court-sanctioned opportunists out for a buck?
It can be hard to tell based on how some guardians are conducting themselves in domestic-relations cases in the Augusta Judicial Circuit.
A recent review of more than 5,000 cases by The Augusta Chronicle revealed a concerning number of instances where GALs submitted questionable invoices with little or no supporting documentation to litigants in divorce and child-custody matters.
And at a minimum rate of $65 an hour, it doesn’t take long for their court-ordered services to generate hundreds – sometimes thousands – of dollars in non-negotiable fees for families by the time their cases are resolved in Richmond and Columbia counties.
To make matters worse, some of the GALs most commonly appointed by local judges appear to be padding invoices by charging for visits and phone calls they never made. One father, for example, said his GAL, Janet Weinberger, handed him a $1,400 bill that included a $26 charge for a field visit to his daughter’s elementary school that there’s no evidence of, and a $65 phone call that appears to never have been made.
In most lines of work, such practices wouldn’t be tolerated, and might even be punished.
Worse yet, divorcing parents have reported that guardians ad litem were quite heavy-handed in collecting payment, giving very little time and no leeway for strapped budgets.
In short, the poorly regulated guardian ad litem program seems to be adding unnecessary stress to the divorce process in Augusta.
Full story: The Augusta Chronicle
The Augusta Chronicle
Are guardians ad litem indispensable legal advocates, or court-sanctioned opportunists out for a buck?
It can be hard to tell based on how some guardians are conducting themselves in domestic-relations cases in the Augusta Judicial Circuit.
A recent review of more than 5,000 cases by The Augusta Chronicle revealed a concerning number of instances where GALs submitted questionable invoices with little or no supporting documentation to litigants in divorce and child-custody matters.
And at a minimum rate of $65 an hour, it doesn’t take long for their court-ordered services to generate hundreds – sometimes thousands – of dollars in non-negotiable fees for families by the time their cases are resolved in Richmond and Columbia counties.
To make matters worse, some of the GALs most commonly appointed by local judges appear to be padding invoices by charging for visits and phone calls they never made. One father, for example, said his GAL, Janet Weinberger, handed him a $1,400 bill that included a $26 charge for a field visit to his daughter’s elementary school that there’s no evidence of, and a $65 phone call that appears to never have been made.
In most lines of work, such practices wouldn’t be tolerated, and might even be punished.
Worse yet, divorcing parents have reported that guardians ad litem were quite heavy-handed in collecting payment, giving very little time and no leeway for strapped budgets.
In short, the poorly regulated guardian ad litem program seems to be adding unnecessary stress to the divorce process in Augusta.
Full story: The Augusta Chronicle
Friday, December 5, 2014
Georgia - What did judges know about guardian ad litem issues?
This should not come as a surprise that judges - people whom many of us were taught to show respect for the position they hold. Have complaints filed against them. In Georgia - a state that has huge problems with their family courts - we have a situation where a judge (Daniel Craig) is being investigated
AUGUSTA, GA - Fox 6 WBRC
We're following up on complaints against guardians ad litem in the Augusta Judicial Circuit, including those made against former magistrate judge Doug Nelson and longtime guardian Janet Weinberger.
We now know the Judicial Qualifications Committee is investigating what superior court judge Daniel Craig may have know about complaints against Nelson. The JQC annual report said in 2013, 75% of complaints against Georgia judges were rejected. But a letter from the JQC shows they are looking into these cases.
After hearing the JQC was getting involved – we wanted to know what the superior court judges who appoint and control these guardians know about the complaints?
Judge Daniel Craig presided over multiple cases in which mothers revealed to WFXG accusations that Doug Nelson was inappropriate with them while working on their cases.
Nelson has denied all allegations of wrong-doing.
Full story: Fox 6 WBRC
AUGUSTA, GA - Fox 6 WBRC
We're following up on complaints against guardians ad litem in the Augusta Judicial Circuit, including those made against former magistrate judge Doug Nelson and longtime guardian Janet Weinberger.
We now know the Judicial Qualifications Committee is investigating what superior court judge Daniel Craig may have know about complaints against Nelson. The JQC annual report said in 2013, 75% of complaints against Georgia judges were rejected. But a letter from the JQC shows they are looking into these cases.
After hearing the JQC was getting involved – we wanted to know what the superior court judges who appoint and control these guardians know about the complaints?
Judge Daniel Craig presided over multiple cases in which mothers revealed to WFXG accusations that Doug Nelson was inappropriate with them while working on their cases.
Nelson has denied all allegations of wrong-doing.
Full story: Fox 6 WBRC
Monday, June 30, 2014
National - According to Family Court - Field Trip to Bar Late at Night is Good for Child
File this under lack of Common Sense within the Family Court System -
As a parent if your four year old child came to you and told you she was scared of being in a situation your ex put her in what would you do? If your child was taken to an adult environment, a bar, late at night where there was loud music, alcohol and intoxicated adults involved. What would you do? Would it make a difference if you were involved in a divorce and custody battle? It might.
Most parents would try to take some kind of protective action for their child. If a Guardian ad litem was involved – you would complain to them; after all, that is what they are put in place for. Clearly a child (no matter what the age) being put into an inappropriate adult situation is not in the child’s best interest. Nor does the child feel emotionally safe in these situations. Common sense would dictate that this child (or any child) should be protected and removed from this situation or environment.
The child in question told her father that she felt scared being in the bars to which she was taken by her mother. She witnessed fights and yelling, and her mom's boyfriend being pushed around. “Bad words” were often being said between people. When the father brought this to the Guardian ad litem's attention (the person who is supposed to be looking out for the best interest of this child) – the Guardian ad litem stated that the father simply did not trust that his four year old daughter was in good hands. The father, concerned for his daughters safety, continued to make his point and express his concern. His concern was not taken seriously by the Guardian ad litem. Instead of investigating whether or not the situation of a child’s late night visit to bars was good for the child, this Guardian ad litem continued to blame the father for trying to cause trouble.
How are we to believe, as this Guardian ad litem and the Judge would seem to be doing, that this little girl's 'best interest' was served by late night visits to bars that she found frightening? What about the child's emotional safety? Is this kind of place a good moral environment for children? To say the least of what this child is learning from the experience? We would say that common sense was not used by the child’s mother nor by the Guardian ad litem for that matter. Sadly, this type of poor judgment is frequently seen with quite a number of Guardians ad litem in the State of Maine. Examples like this are the reason why there is now - and has been - a very real need for Guardian ad litem and Family Court reform.
NationalGALert is a grassroots organization dedicated to supporting parents who have been abused by the family court system. In addition we educate and promote reform through legislation - both here in Maine as well as nationally. We would encourage you to contact us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com and tell us your story. In addition we may be found on Facebook.
The Power of the Powerless - 2012 by MeGALert
Family Court Survey - We want your opinion regarding the experience you had in Family Court.
As a parent if your four year old child came to you and told you she was scared of being in a situation your ex put her in what would you do? If your child was taken to an adult environment, a bar, late at night where there was loud music, alcohol and intoxicated adults involved. What would you do? Would it make a difference if you were involved in a divorce and custody battle? It might.
Most parents would try to take some kind of protective action for their child. If a Guardian ad litem was involved – you would complain to them; after all, that is what they are put in place for. Clearly a child (no matter what the age) being put into an inappropriate adult situation is not in the child’s best interest. Nor does the child feel emotionally safe in these situations. Common sense would dictate that this child (or any child) should be protected and removed from this situation or environment.
The child in question told her father that she felt scared being in the bars to which she was taken by her mother. She witnessed fights and yelling, and her mom's boyfriend being pushed around. “Bad words” were often being said between people. When the father brought this to the Guardian ad litem's attention (the person who is supposed to be looking out for the best interest of this child) – the Guardian ad litem stated that the father simply did not trust that his four year old daughter was in good hands. The father, concerned for his daughters safety, continued to make his point and express his concern. His concern was not taken seriously by the Guardian ad litem. Instead of investigating whether or not the situation of a child’s late night visit to bars was good for the child, this Guardian ad litem continued to blame the father for trying to cause trouble.
How are we to believe, as this Guardian ad litem and the Judge would seem to be doing, that this little girl's 'best interest' was served by late night visits to bars that she found frightening? What about the child's emotional safety? Is this kind of place a good moral environment for children? To say the least of what this child is learning from the experience? We would say that common sense was not used by the child’s mother nor by the Guardian ad litem for that matter. Sadly, this type of poor judgment is frequently seen with quite a number of Guardians ad litem in the State of Maine. Examples like this are the reason why there is now - and has been - a very real need for Guardian ad litem and Family Court reform.
NationalGALert is a grassroots organization dedicated to supporting parents who have been abused by the family court system. In addition we educate and promote reform through legislation - both here in Maine as well as nationally. We would encourage you to contact us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com and tell us your story. In addition we may be found on Facebook.
The Power of the Powerless - 2012 by MeGALert
Family Court Survey - We want your opinion regarding the experience you had in Family Court.
Friday, April 18, 2014
Connecticut - Marisa Ringel testimony to Supreme Court
Connecticut has had a string of hearings dealing with Family Court and Guardian ad litem reform. It is much needed there as it is in just about every state in the union. This following is written testimony that was presented to the Supreme Court in Hartford. While this parent speaks specifically to the rules for GALs in that state the general idea is one that can be applied in every court room.
This woman is saying that absent of any abuse or neglect - every parent should have a fundamental right to parent on an equal basis and that no parent should be forced into 'supervised visitation' absent of neglect or abuse. Yet how many parents are forced into that position by a Guardian ad litem or Family Court?
Supreme Court in Hartford
Public Hearing on Rules and Forms
Written Testimony of Marisa Ringel
April 14, 2014
Justices of the Supreme Court and/or Committee of Justices members:
I am hear today to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The 14th Amendment clearly states:
“No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
In Stanley V. Illinois, 405 U.S. 645, 651; 92 S.Ct. 1208, (1992), the U.S. Supreme Court stressed:
“The parent-child relationship is an important interest that undeniably warrants deference and, absent a powerful countervailing interest, protection. ..A parent’s interest in the companionship, care, custody and management of his or her children rises to a constitutionally secured right, given the centrality of family life as the focus for personal meaning and responsibility.”
It is my suggestion that the Connecticut Practice Book incorporate these two quotes to open Section 25.
Every parent, absent abuse or neglect, in the Constitution State should have a fundamental equal right to parent their children without the interference of government.
While there is legislative authority granted to provide for various awards of custody in the State of Connecticut, there does not appear to be any specific legislative authority for a judge in the State of Connecticut to force a parent into “supervised visitation” absent abuse or neglect.
Yet, in the family courts of the State of Connecticut, “supervised visitation” is often ordered without any justification that a “child’s welfare” is in danger.
Therefore, I am proposing a new Practice Book Rule 25-70:
“No judicial authority shall have the right to issue an order of supervised visitation without conducting an evidentiary hearing to establish whether there are grounds for an order to show cause that “clear and present danger to the physical/psychological well-being of a child” exists that requires an limited time order of supervised visitation.
No order of supervised visitation shall remain in place for more than three months, without conducting another evidentiary hearing at which any party can call witnesses, including those supervising the visitation, to report to the court on their observations of the parent-child interactions.”
There are reports in Fairfield County of supervised visitation which have been in place for more than two years, in which fees in excess of $20,000 have been paid by a parent to conduct a once a week four hour visitation.
Supervised visitation cannot be seen as a “first option” response from a judicial authority to make parenting time “unaffordable” or a “punitive measure”.
The 1886 Supreme Court decision in Yick Wo v. Hopkins 118 U.S. 356 stated:
“Law and court proceedings that are ‘fair on their faces’ but administered ‘with an evil eye or heavy hand’ was discriminatory and violates the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.”
Family courts must provide divorced parent the same rights and obligations of their children as if still married. Otherwise, the court is administrating a criteria in a manner which discriminates against a class of citizens based on “un-married status”.
Such discrimination by the family court judges against any class of citizens who are no longer married would constitute a violation of Title 42, Section 1983.
Each of us who is speaking today, is a victim of orders of “supervised visitation” at the current time or in some past order issued in the family court system in Connecticut.
Each of us has been and has always aspired to be a “fit parent” and have been “humiliated” and “degraded” by a family court judge who has abused their powers in administering family court justice through ordering “supervised visitation” without an order to show cause.
This authority to order supervised visitation has no statutory authority and is therefore an abuse of discretion and must be curtailed.
Marisa Ringel
This woman is saying that absent of any abuse or neglect - every parent should have a fundamental right to parent on an equal basis and that no parent should be forced into 'supervised visitation' absent of neglect or abuse. Yet how many parents are forced into that position by a Guardian ad litem or Family Court?
Supreme Court in Hartford
Public Hearing on Rules and Forms
Written Testimony of Marisa Ringel
April 14, 2014
Justices of the Supreme Court and/or Committee of Justices members:
I am hear today to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The 14th Amendment clearly states:
“No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
In Stanley V. Illinois, 405 U.S. 645, 651; 92 S.Ct. 1208, (1992), the U.S. Supreme Court stressed:
“The parent-child relationship is an important interest that undeniably warrants deference and, absent a powerful countervailing interest, protection. ..A parent’s interest in the companionship, care, custody and management of his or her children rises to a constitutionally secured right, given the centrality of family life as the focus for personal meaning and responsibility.”
It is my suggestion that the Connecticut Practice Book incorporate these two quotes to open Section 25.
Every parent, absent abuse or neglect, in the Constitution State should have a fundamental equal right to parent their children without the interference of government.
While there is legislative authority granted to provide for various awards of custody in the State of Connecticut, there does not appear to be any specific legislative authority for a judge in the State of Connecticut to force a parent into “supervised visitation” absent abuse or neglect.
Yet, in the family courts of the State of Connecticut, “supervised visitation” is often ordered without any justification that a “child’s welfare” is in danger.
Therefore, I am proposing a new Practice Book Rule 25-70:
“No judicial authority shall have the right to issue an order of supervised visitation without conducting an evidentiary hearing to establish whether there are grounds for an order to show cause that “clear and present danger to the physical/psychological well-being of a child” exists that requires an limited time order of supervised visitation.
No order of supervised visitation shall remain in place for more than three months, without conducting another evidentiary hearing at which any party can call witnesses, including those supervising the visitation, to report to the court on their observations of the parent-child interactions.”
There are reports in Fairfield County of supervised visitation which have been in place for more than two years, in which fees in excess of $20,000 have been paid by a parent to conduct a once a week four hour visitation.
Supervised visitation cannot be seen as a “first option” response from a judicial authority to make parenting time “unaffordable” or a “punitive measure”.
The 1886 Supreme Court decision in Yick Wo v. Hopkins 118 U.S. 356 stated:
“Law and court proceedings that are ‘fair on their faces’ but administered ‘with an evil eye or heavy hand’ was discriminatory and violates the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.”
Family courts must provide divorced parent the same rights and obligations of their children as if still married. Otherwise, the court is administrating a criteria in a manner which discriminates against a class of citizens based on “un-married status”.
Such discrimination by the family court judges against any class of citizens who are no longer married would constitute a violation of Title 42, Section 1983.
Each of us who is speaking today, is a victim of orders of “supervised visitation” at the current time or in some past order issued in the family court system in Connecticut.
Each of us has been and has always aspired to be a “fit parent” and have been “humiliated” and “degraded” by a family court judge who has abused their powers in administering family court justice through ordering “supervised visitation” without an order to show cause.
This authority to order supervised visitation has no statutory authority and is therefore an abuse of discretion and must be curtailed.
Marisa Ringel
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Maine - Child Custody - An appeal to Maine's Supreme Court: Dalton Vs. Dalton CUM-13-521
It isn’t often that most people have a chance to read an actual divorce and custody story that is being appealed to Maine’s Supreme Court, as we write this. Child custody appeals are relatively rare. Most people, who might wish to appeal, are intimidated by the process; many are discouraged by lawyers, who don’t wish to offend a lower court judge by asking a higher court to intervene and correct a decision. Then, there is the huge amount of work involved and the not inconsiderable expense.
The process starts with a heartfelt disagreement with a lower court judgment and with the handling of the law in that court. It requires courage to challenge a family court judgment. It also always embodies a determined love of one’s child (children). In effect the appellant is very publicly saying - but in polite legal language - to the court, “You are dead wrong! Your judgment is not only unfair but badly arrived at. The tools you are using and the reasoning process are seriously defective! I strongly protest!” How a skilled attorney approaches this problem and chooses the most important issues out of a welter of possible “plots, subplots and very involved stories” is a matter of legal judgment. Most of us, as parents and family would get lost in a morass of the details that go into a custody fight. The enclosed brief of this particular case demonstrates the vitally necessary partnership between lawyer and client. It is a union of “heart and courage” and ”head” - the level, focused intellectual crafting of the case essentials by a lawyer. It will be, I guarantee you, a most interesting and informative “read”.
We’ve been hearing from family members some of the unbelievable details of this case, Dalton vs Dalton, for just over a year. We have held our breath each time there has been a court hearing, hoping for fairness, for a reasonable turn of events, for a review of hard facts and for correction of a frightening nightmare of misperception being acted out in court. But the process seemed only to get worse as time went on. The extreme and inaccurate views of the court and a Guardian ad litem have, unfortunately, become ever more rigidly entrenched. Hence, the difficult decision to appeal.
We have to say, in no way to diminish this very troubling case, that from our experience with many other friends, the clumsy handling of this case in this court is, unfortunately, by no means unique. This case is a poster child for other very similar cases, and it is an urgent clarion call for urgently needed Family Court Reform in Maine. Like most Family Courts in America today, Maine’s courts are in the views of many, badly broken, dysfunctional and urgently in need of reconceptualization and reconstruction. They have lost their moorings in the law, and they are cruelly hurting many of the families and children that they are supposed to serve.
Please, read the enclosed pdf with the details of the Supreme Court Appeal and see what you think. By all means, share it with friends and legal professionals. Ask the questions: “Is this how our courts should function? Is this your image of what you would expect from a court in a democratic society?”
Finally, who is in charge, where’s the oversight?
To view the case click on the link - Dalton Vs. Dalton CUM-13-521
For more information please contact NationalGALalert@gmail.com or find us on Facebook
The process starts with a heartfelt disagreement with a lower court judgment and with the handling of the law in that court. It requires courage to challenge a family court judgment. It also always embodies a determined love of one’s child (children). In effect the appellant is very publicly saying - but in polite legal language - to the court, “You are dead wrong! Your judgment is not only unfair but badly arrived at. The tools you are using and the reasoning process are seriously defective! I strongly protest!” How a skilled attorney approaches this problem and chooses the most important issues out of a welter of possible “plots, subplots and very involved stories” is a matter of legal judgment. Most of us, as parents and family would get lost in a morass of the details that go into a custody fight. The enclosed brief of this particular case demonstrates the vitally necessary partnership between lawyer and client. It is a union of “heart and courage” and ”head” - the level, focused intellectual crafting of the case essentials by a lawyer. It will be, I guarantee you, a most interesting and informative “read”.
We’ve been hearing from family members some of the unbelievable details of this case, Dalton vs Dalton, for just over a year. We have held our breath each time there has been a court hearing, hoping for fairness, for a reasonable turn of events, for a review of hard facts and for correction of a frightening nightmare of misperception being acted out in court. But the process seemed only to get worse as time went on. The extreme and inaccurate views of the court and a Guardian ad litem have, unfortunately, become ever more rigidly entrenched. Hence, the difficult decision to appeal.
We have to say, in no way to diminish this very troubling case, that from our experience with many other friends, the clumsy handling of this case in this court is, unfortunately, by no means unique. This case is a poster child for other very similar cases, and it is an urgent clarion call for urgently needed Family Court Reform in Maine. Like most Family Courts in America today, Maine’s courts are in the views of many, badly broken, dysfunctional and urgently in need of reconceptualization and reconstruction. They have lost their moorings in the law, and they are cruelly hurting many of the families and children that they are supposed to serve.
Please, read the enclosed pdf with the details of the Supreme Court Appeal and see what you think. By all means, share it with friends and legal professionals. Ask the questions: “Is this how our courts should function? Is this your image of what you would expect from a court in a democratic society?”
Finally, who is in charge, where’s the oversight?
To view the case click on the link - Dalton Vs. Dalton CUM-13-521
For more information please contact NationalGALalert@gmail.com or find us on Facebook
Monday, February 24, 2014
Maine - Family Court Abuse - A Parents Perspective
Dear Dr. Collins (et
al):
I cannot thank you
enough for all that you do for the impoverished, broken, and voiceless.
I thank everyone
within the NationalGALalert circles for the pro-active stance that has opened doors
once thought closed.
Our family's case is
literally "killing" my almost 16 year-old daughter; that was her
description - just yesterday - of how the numerous adversarial & prolonged
family court procedures have adversely effected her.
At present, she is
being held against her will within her dad's home: the GAL failed to hear her
pleas of wanting desperately to move back in with her mother {me} .
Additionally, the 2014 court order legally permits her father from allowing her
visitation with her mother {me}.
The last GAL failed
us on several occasions submitting an 18 page report filled with subjective
information - mostly inaccurate & malicious information -- provided to her
by my former husband.
The system has
failed our family in 2009-2010 and in 2012 to present: both of us parents have
considerable legal debt.
I am still in shock
over the final judgment given to me just 2 days after I appeared in Portland
(01/14/2104) to testify that I have been unable to contact Mary Ann Lynch via
email.
I know both myself
and my daughter suffer from a form of PTSD as a result of the on-going
post-divorce conflict initiated by my former husband but fanned and fueled by
those within the divorce industry.
Those who want to
point fingers can point to my former husband or to me BUT the truth is, my
former husband would not have been able to succeed in financially impoverishing
me without the support of the divorce industry.
Collectively, our
family has lost so much; the most tragic loss -- something that cannot be
replaced -- is my young daughters childhood. Both teens suffer separately and
differently from the conflict that results from drawn-out and highly
contentious court proceedings.
Conflict is all that
she knows / they know; the divorce industry knowingly or unknowing gave my
former husband positive reinforcement every time he sought legal counsel to
take me back to court -- twice since our original 2006 divorce.
Each consecutive
court process took twice as long as the prior and the costs involved doubled
from the previous process. I was just getting out of legal debt from the
2009-2010 process when my former took us back to court in 2012. That process
lasted 18 plus months and cost me over $20,000 when I only earned $10,000 in
2012 and $12,000 in 2013 (I was a full-time USM student until this past May).
Presently, my debt
is so astronomical that that my ability to pay court ordered child support
{calculated - mind you - on a salary
that I did not actually earn} has been greatly hindered: how is any of this in
the best interest of either teen? Or, the Maine tax payers? Or, to our
society???
As a result of the
collusion between the divorce industry and my former husband, my daughter has
fallen deeper and deeper into a depressions; she has twice attempted to end her
life {May and September of 2013}.
Maine care has
picked up all of the costs for her medical care. Maine tax payers are footing
the bill and , we as a society, are potentially losing a once energetic,
civic-minded, and highly accomplished student to a major depression and
self-harming behaviors both beginning after she was taken out of my home in
2010 and placed in the care of her dad.
I suggest that the
mayor and the divorce industry consider a "Truth and Reconciliation
Act" in order to acknowledge the pain and suffering that has taken place
-- for decades upon decades -- as a result of such a broken system.
Since 2006, I have
suffered - as well as the two minors -- enormous losses:
1. Loss of primary
home in 2010;
2. Loss of $100,000
equity in that primary home (2012 York, Maine);
3. Loss of all
material possessions sold off to pay down legal debt;
4. Loss of family
pet as former husband adopted the dog out of the family once he was granted
custody of both minors and their dog in 2010.
5. Decrease in
credit score by 100 points due to inability to pay mortgage on primary home
when former spouse was advised- by his lawyer-
to stop making child support payments in order to force me into signing
2010 post-judgment agreement;
6. Loss residential
custody of both teens due to loss of primary home (temporarily left homeless);
7. Loss 1/2
retirement fund in 2010 court process to pay GAL, legal fee's and mortgage
payments;
8. Loss all of
savings to date; accrued credit card debt is now equal to my 2013 annual
salary; loss all assets with exception to my vehicle that allows me to travel 3
hours a day to my full-time job;
9. Loss ALL parental
rights and responsibilities and all decision making powers due to erroneous GAL
report and due to her recommendation that losing all rights would end conflict;
10. Loss visitation
rights as all visitation is now up to the discretion of my former husband who
has been the instigator for all post-judgment discord;
11. The stress and the conflict has interfered with my work
at present, has created ongoing and extensive medical expenses, and has left
our daughter suicidal as well as feeling hopeless about her future;
12. The scars left
on the hearts of my two teenagers as well as myself may or may not ever heal;
time will tell. There is nothing more psychologically harmful than to lose the
right to parent: from 1996 until 2014, I gave my life to my children. I intended
and strove to raise well-adjusted, law abiding, and well-educated young adults.
That right has been taken from me; the family court system partook in that loss
of civil liberties.
The time for healing
is now.
Please allow those
of us who have to live with these court ordered "solutions" to family
matters be a part of the solution for creating a system that heals and supports
healthy family relations rather than a system that fuels the flames of discord
in order to "win" a case; we have a vast amount of anecdotal
information that would be an invaluable resource for those who are truly vested
in the well-being of Maine's children and in the health and welfare of the
state of Maine as a whole.
With sincere
gratitude for your time and consideration~
Suzanne
YDC-FM-06-XX
Former resident of
York Maine
Present Maine tax
payer
Social Justice
Advocate
This letter was
written to the courts and state government and came about as a result of the
post "A Maine Commission to Assess the Impact of Divorce and Custody on
Maine Children and Families". To read the letter to Gov. Paul LePage
follow this link.
For more information
please contact us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com or find us on Facebook.
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