ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
About two dozen protestors held signs and wore neon green shirts that read "Shame on you, Judge Goger" and "Shame on you, Judge Lane" as they marched outside the Fulton County Courthouse Monday.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge John Goger came under fire because of a recent order requiring a 10-year-old girl to live with her father, who was twice arrested for abusing her in a recent custody hearing.
CBS Atlanta News is not using the names of the parties to protect the child.
The mother of the girl told CBS Atlanta News reporter Jeff Chirico that she believes the judge did not consider the evidence and was influenced by her ex-husband's attorney.
Criminal charges against the girl's father were dropped for lack of evidence, but according to court records and the mother, five independent assessments supported the girl's story of repeated abuse.
Despite the allegations, the custody evaluator and court-appointed guardian ad litem, recommended the child be placed in the father's home because the mother was subconsciously "re victimizing" the child
Full story: CBS Atlanta
Also the judge restrict the mother from taking the child out of Fulton County. Based on the abusing father money and relationship with the legal system this child is truly being victimized by the court system ... Shame on Judge Goger and all involved..
ReplyDeleteIt is a form of Judicial Abuse - and nothing less.
DeleteThis is horrendous but apparently not the first time Judge Goger has allegedly done something shady. Elisabeth Parco had a petition claiming he issued a temporary restraining order that could prevent the county from enforcing animal control laws last year. A man named William M. Windsor listed him as a judge that committed misprision of felonies and has aided and abetted the crimes.
ReplyDeleteLane has currently come under fire about the Usher case and not being forthcoming with her relationship to the lawyer that won the case.
http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/19948628/judges-dont-reveal-relationships-fairness-questioned
http://www.change.org/petitions/assistant-to-superior-court-judge-john-groger-stop-the-use-of-bullhooks-on-elephants-in-the-atlanta-area
http://lawlessamerica.com/index.php?option=com_content&id=648:atlanta-georgia-has-the-most-corrupt-judges-government-and-law-enforcement-in-the-entire-usa&Itemid=222
Thank you for the additional information. What is interesting here is that the Judge is in a sense practicing medicine without a license. For a 'Judge' to say that the mother is subconsciously re victimizing the child is beyond belief. This is a good example of "Junk Science" where a diagnosis is made with no testing or scientific backing.
DeleteThe judge was fed that phrase from Howard Drutman and Jim Holmes. Howard Drutman was first to use that phrase in his "evaluation". Then some time later, when Jim Holmes released his report... he had the same language. Howard Drutman and Jim Holmes have NO significant specialized training in assessing or treating cases of sexual abuse. The "subconsciously re victimizing the child" was generated by the father's "hired gun" psychologist that is feeding the attorney, guardian and custody evaluator all this made up psychological garbage. And for the record, this same psychologist that has been assisting him for years works in the same practice as the "reunification therapist" - CONFLICT OF INTEREST!!! AND the "reunification therapist" stated that it was not his/her job to assess if the molestation occurred or not. He/She would not review the forensic evidence. It was his/her job to just reunite the child with the father.- Are you kidding me??? How could anyone think that was a good idea without knowing if this father really sexually molested the child?? He/she was under Jim Holmes' direction and the father's attorney pressure to reunify... AND everyone threatening the mother the entire way through this....You have no idea what they have ALL put this poor mother through. And the this poor child. In the end... WHO is going to make this right??? Who is going to make sure this child is safe? Give her mother her rights back and the ability to protect this little girl? Who is going to do something about the abominable acts of this guardian, custody evaluator, reunification therapist and JUDGE?????
DeleteThank you for the comment and further background on this case. The term "junk science" describes the "subconsciously re victimizing" phrase. It sounds important to most people hearing it but it means nothing in terms of its meaning. There is no scientific basis. One could point out to the judge that he is subconsciously being biased in believing that the mother is "re-victimizing" her child.
DeleteIf the father is paying for most or all of this it does not surprise me that the mother is being Judicially abused. It happens a lot.
One has to wonder how much the child is going to benefit from all of this conflict. Is the child's best interest being served here?
Unfortunately - what is going on here is a systems issue. While some change may come about as a result of this case there will be no real positive change. There is to much money involved and the Divorce Industry, Family lawyers, Guardians ad litem and the psychologists and programs that feed off of a divorce will not want that money flow to subside. Oh and I forgot - many politicians (especially those that have a law back ground), Any change to the system is going to be met with a lot of resistance from these people because it represents a loss of income. Just look at the numbers for this case. While I would say this case is an extreme example - in a survey that is being conducted now. 70% of the people who have responded have Guardian ad litem cost over $10,000. From this same pool 20% have had GAL expenses that exceed $50,000. These figures are going to start to be published later this summer and the survey can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1iY_30tUY4GzMohJS3nPSO304BvLItW9cfkalJxBY_H8/viewform
If you have not already seen the continuation of the piece: http://galreview.blogspot.com/2013/07/investigation-into-judge-and-guardian.html
DeleteThank you for exposing the corruption in our court system. Please keep up the great investigative work. It is our only hope for change in the system!
ReplyDeleteAnother case of the Atlanta "legal system" that is fair to those who can afford it. In this case, the system just victimized the child, the childs mother and family again.
ReplyDeleteThis is not new --- the one with the most money (that can buy a judge) will win...no matter what. It is a sad day to see things like this happen when the system is over taken by those that can give money to a campaign, or "favors" to the "people in power." The child, and their families are the real victims in these cases.
ReplyDeleteI applaud the family and friends that participated in this march. Our children are definitely the victims of the Judges who rule in favor of parents that do not deserve to win. Money can certainly make a difference in who walks away the victor. Something should be done to prevent a catastrophe such as this. How in the world can Judge determine that a mother is re-victimizing her child. Additionally, if the Judge said she is being re-victimized that is an indication that the Judge admits the child was VICTIMIZED! Because of this admission the child should not be place with the person who victimized her, meaning the father.
ReplyDeleteWhere is the justice? How can they do this to childeren?
ReplyDeleteThe court is suppose to protect our children but instead it comes down to politics, the almighty dollar and their network of friends within. It's shameful to say the least
DeleteDecisions like this is why people in public office are thought of in such low regard.
ReplyDeleteMoney talks and decisions like this make it seem as though this particular judge might be benefiting handsomely.
Follow the money and you will see where the problem originates. The divorce industry is a huge business - just check out the numbers on this case alone and you can see why there is such resistance to any kind of change. Yet there is huge acceptance of corruption. When I had a GAL on my case it was very hard for me to accept that the Judiciary was insane. I had been brought up to accept the fact that I was to show respect to these people and that they were there to help through often difficult times. That has changed and the more that I have seen the more worried I become about what Justice really means.
DeleteThanks for making this public and exposing the corruption. At the end of the day it needs to be all about the safety and whats best for the children and in this case its obvious the judge did not do this. Keep up the fight and keep exposing the failures in the legal system. Prayers go out to the mother and her child.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very sad and pitiful situation. The judges should be removed from the case. It definitely sounds like someone paid them off. I hope the child and the mother get justice. My prayers go out to them. Oh and remember what goes around comes around.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason today I am not able to reply to the comments on an individual basis. That being said thank you for the comments left. There has been a lot of interest from people who have been burned by the courts. Not only is there an issue with the Guardians ad litem but with those that are supposed to manage the GAL - our Judges. Who is managing them?
ReplyDeleteI would like to point out how incredibly insane this is that a mother lost custody of her daughter for subconsciously re victimizing her child. FIRST and foremost... she would have to have been victimized in the first place. Second, is it not OBVIOUS that this mother is a good person, a good mother that has done NOTHING WRONG! NOTHING but try to protect her daughter. Nothing vindictive, nothing malicious. So the only thing they could do was to MAKE SOMETHING UP!!!!! And what is worse... a JUDGE, A JUDGE... did NOT listen to the evidence and took her daughter away from her on something lame and made up! We have drug addicts, alcoholics and prostitutes that still have custody of their children and this amazing woman lost her daughter over WHAT????? SHAME ON JUDGE GOGER! SHAME ON THAT JIM HOLMES character and HOWARD DRUTMAN! SHAME ON THAT AWFUL REUNIFICATION THERAPIST for not having the moral compass inside to say NO! Not until we know for sure what has happened to this child. NOT FOR SURE, therefore I cannot reunite. I am sickened by what has become tolerable in our society!!!
ReplyDeleteQuite often criminals have more rights than parents do. At least criminals will have their Miranda Rights read to inform them. Parents on the other hand will be put through the meat grinder. One Judge I spoke with who was from Ohio told me that he hated Guardians ad litem. He stated that when a Judge allowed the use of them it was because he/ she was lazy and not doing their job.
DeleteI applaud that judge for his honesty! I had an encounter with an honest guardian. Who listened to the evidence and both sides. Who reviewed and investigated the evidence. NOT in this case. And to the detriment of this poor child.
Deletei might be late to this dialog. but you all are convicting the father. there is "evidence" showing the father molested the child, but how credible is the evidence? the father was not convicted. are the people posting here qualified to answer? the gal and custody evaluator are not allowed to talk in public about this case. it is not fair to convict anyone without knowing the facts of the case. the judge was privy to evidence the public was not privy to.
ReplyDeleteDishonest, arrogant, unempathic. Harms people without a care. Favors fathers. Says what attorneys want him to say and overbills.
ReplyDelete