Desert News
SALT LAKE CITY — Legislation that would give parents the option of requesting a jury trial to decide whether their parental rights should be terminated cleared a House committee Friday.
The House Health and Human Services Committee voted 5-4 to give HB318 a favorable recommendation.
The bill's sponsor, Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, said the legislation is intended to uphold parents' fundamental liberty interests guaranteed by the Constitution.
"You have state officials, whether it's the attorney general, the guardian ad litem, (the Division of Child and Family Services) or the juvenile court themselves, they're there repeatedly. This is what they deal with. Then one individual comes in wanting due process of law. One individual comes in wanting to know their constitutional rights will be honored," Christensen said.
Full story: Desert News
Showing posts with label parental rights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parental rights. Show all posts
Monday, February 24, 2014
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Connecticut Attorney Sharon Dornfeld troubled by comments from Parent
While this letter is regarding Guardians ad litem in another state what is being said can be equally applied to situations involving Guardians ad litem in any state:
Hello Ms. Dornfeld,
I'm told that you are troubled by my observations of the system. As an expert in legal operations, legal e-billing and legal spend management, I would again extend to you the invitation to meet with me at your convenience and at any time to discuss your perspectives and concerns, as well as to share mine and those of many other legal professionals equally as fed up with what our family courts have become and how they operate.
I was in the courthouse in Hartford today and saw many of my family attorney friends and contacts there. Two of them approached me and asked to meet with me next week - as they are considered testifying as to how bad the situation has become and how dramatically it has impacted them and their clients.
Veteran family law attorneys - one of whom wrote the attached letter. This would bring to 12 the number of family law attorneys I have organized and who will also speak out as Attorney Rutkin recently did, when the time is right and they no longer have to worry about retaliation against them.
And what does that say and reflect in regards to what our family court system has become, and the powers-that-be have created and perpetuated - when family law attorneys themselves are afraid to speak about their own industry for fear of how it may personally impact them?
Once again - the world has changed and the genie is out of the bottle. "The system" is no longer able to threaten and intimidate parents and attorneys into silence, social media has changed that forever and good riddance. And this is true not just here in Connecticut, but nationally and even internationally as well.
No parent or citizen should EVER have fear the Judiciary or suffer retaliation for speaking their opinion - EVER in the United States. That is not why I and my family came here from a communist country to see and experience.
Once again - shouldn't we all be ashamed of what our family courts have become and its complete lack of focus on families and children and abuses we have all suffered at the hands of the system?
The family court is supposed to be a source of resolution and closure - not open ended cycle and source and cause of abuse and therapy.
What's happened to the basic principles of common decency, common respect, understanding and compassion?
If you are "irritated" by my commentary - then I'm afraid I can offer you no apologies, because I and the thousands of parents, children of divorce, grandparents, family attorneys and GALs who have been severely impacted and financially and otherwise devastated by the horrific perspectives and policies you and others have promoted, are not the ones who are fault for what is wrong.
* The problems in our family court were not created by parents or our fault.
* It is not what we are responsible for or what we created.
* It is not what we want for ourselves and our children and our families or our state.
* It is not parents who are blatantly violating the basic principles of due process, civil and parental rights, or the rights of child.
* It is not parents who are acting in an unethical, immoral and illogical manner.
* It is not parents who are willfully ignoring violations of court order or the abuses and neglect of children.
* It is not parents who are in Court perpetuating and promoting conflict to profit from it.
* It is not parents who are imposing draconian and devastating financial orders on parents to punish them for being in court.
* It is not parents who are forcing the liquidation of retirement accounts and children's college funds and demanding payments from grandparents.
* It is not parents who jailing themselves solely because they have no means to pay.
PARENTS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM.
And you do not use the same people who created a problem and who profit handsomely from it, to solve it.
It is perhaps most telling that after two months of hearings, and that as Chair, you have not called a single parent or child or divorce to testify - not one. And that every person who has been called, is a member of the divorce industry and someone who profits from and engages in perpetuating the problem. And no surprise - practically all of them members of FCC member, as you and Ms. Cousineau are.
* Which speaks volumes as to how co-opted and pointless the Task Force has become.
Task Forces are created by the legislature to solicit to hear testimony from people and citizens adversely impacted by a situation or problem - not those who create and profit from it.
It is equally as telling that we have not heard testimony from a single parent or child of divorce stating how wonderful the court system is, how much time their AMC/GAL spent with them to get to know them and how much they helped them, or how helpful a court ordered therapist was. And that any of this was worth the money taken from them or their parents and families. Why is that?
What the Task Force has become is like watching a home improvement show, where the focus of the show is to take pity on and only listen to shady contractor who did shoddy work and left the homeowner with a massive problem and walked away with all of their money.
Perhaps we should listen to the Chief Justice of Canada, who has publically come out and stated that family courts are beyond the point of repair, and need to be completely replaced with "something else." As an expert in legal operations and legal spend management, and business process improvement expert, I couldn't agree more. And applaud Attorney Rutkin for his recommendation that the state consider bringing in an outside management company to run the Judiciary and correct its operational dysfunctions. (I volunteer to help.)
Please let me know when you would like to meet and review the information I have to share with you and the Task Force. Most notably - an examination of the devastating financial impact the crisis in the family courts have exacted onto parents and families, and how many people it has thrown out of work, cost them their homes, and caused people to be unfairly jailed.
Regards
Peter Szymonik
Glastonbury, CT
www.galreform.org
Hello Ms. Dornfeld,
I'm told that you are troubled by my observations of the system. As an expert in legal operations, legal e-billing and legal spend management, I would again extend to you the invitation to meet with me at your convenience and at any time to discuss your perspectives and concerns, as well as to share mine and those of many other legal professionals equally as fed up with what our family courts have become and how they operate.
I was in the courthouse in Hartford today and saw many of my family attorney friends and contacts there. Two of them approached me and asked to meet with me next week - as they are considered testifying as to how bad the situation has become and how dramatically it has impacted them and their clients.
Veteran family law attorneys - one of whom wrote the attached letter. This would bring to 12 the number of family law attorneys I have organized and who will also speak out as Attorney Rutkin recently did, when the time is right and they no longer have to worry about retaliation against them.
And what does that say and reflect in regards to what our family court system has become, and the powers-that-be have created and perpetuated - when family law attorneys themselves are afraid to speak about their own industry for fear of how it may personally impact them?
Once again - the world has changed and the genie is out of the bottle. "The system" is no longer able to threaten and intimidate parents and attorneys into silence, social media has changed that forever and good riddance. And this is true not just here in Connecticut, but nationally and even internationally as well.
No parent or citizen should EVER have fear the Judiciary or suffer retaliation for speaking their opinion - EVER in the United States. That is not why I and my family came here from a communist country to see and experience.
Once again - shouldn't we all be ashamed of what our family courts have become and its complete lack of focus on families and children and abuses we have all suffered at the hands of the system?
The family court is supposed to be a source of resolution and closure - not open ended cycle and source and cause of abuse and therapy.
What's happened to the basic principles of common decency, common respect, understanding and compassion?
If you are "irritated" by my commentary - then I'm afraid I can offer you no apologies, because I and the thousands of parents, children of divorce, grandparents, family attorneys and GALs who have been severely impacted and financially and otherwise devastated by the horrific perspectives and policies you and others have promoted, are not the ones who are fault for what is wrong.
* The problems in our family court were not created by parents or our fault.
* It is not what we are responsible for or what we created.
* It is not what we want for ourselves and our children and our families or our state.
* It is not parents who are blatantly violating the basic principles of due process, civil and parental rights, or the rights of child.
* It is not parents who are acting in an unethical, immoral and illogical manner.
* It is not parents who are willfully ignoring violations of court order or the abuses and neglect of children.
* It is not parents who are in Court perpetuating and promoting conflict to profit from it.
* It is not parents who are imposing draconian and devastating financial orders on parents to punish them for being in court.
* It is not parents who are forcing the liquidation of retirement accounts and children's college funds and demanding payments from grandparents.
* It is not parents who jailing themselves solely because they have no means to pay.
PARENTS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM.
And you do not use the same people who created a problem and who profit handsomely from it, to solve it.
It is perhaps most telling that after two months of hearings, and that as Chair, you have not called a single parent or child or divorce to testify - not one. And that every person who has been called, is a member of the divorce industry and someone who profits from and engages in perpetuating the problem. And no surprise - practically all of them members of FCC member, as you and Ms. Cousineau are.
* Which speaks volumes as to how co-opted and pointless the Task Force has become.
Task Forces are created by the legislature to solicit to hear testimony from people and citizens adversely impacted by a situation or problem - not those who create and profit from it.
It is equally as telling that we have not heard testimony from a single parent or child of divorce stating how wonderful the court system is, how much time their AMC/GAL spent with them to get to know them and how much they helped them, or how helpful a court ordered therapist was. And that any of this was worth the money taken from them or their parents and families. Why is that?
What the Task Force has become is like watching a home improvement show, where the focus of the show is to take pity on and only listen to shady contractor who did shoddy work and left the homeowner with a massive problem and walked away with all of their money.
Perhaps we should listen to the Chief Justice of Canada, who has publically come out and stated that family courts are beyond the point of repair, and need to be completely replaced with "something else." As an expert in legal operations and legal spend management, and business process improvement expert, I couldn't agree more. And applaud Attorney Rutkin for his recommendation that the state consider bringing in an outside management company to run the Judiciary and correct its operational dysfunctions. (I volunteer to help.)
Please let me know when you would like to meet and review the information I have to share with you and the Task Force. Most notably - an examination of the devastating financial impact the crisis in the family courts have exacted onto parents and families, and how many people it has thrown out of work, cost them their homes, and caused people to be unfairly jailed.
Regards
Peter Szymonik
Glastonbury, CT
www.galreform.org
Saturday, November 9, 2013
New York - Father says No to Child's demand of McDonald's - and loses visitation
What should have been a Happy Meal has turned out to be anything but this for a New York father in a hotly contested divorce case. The court appointed shrink Dr. Marilyn Schiller is branding the child's father as being incapable of caring for his 4-year old son for refusing McDonald's.
The father is fighting back against Dr. Schiller for defaming his character.
On October 30, 2013 father and son were preparing to go out for dinner. The son demanded McDonald's and the father said no. According to reports that son then "threw a temper tantrum" for being denied the Golden Arches. The fathers reasoning for refusal was that he felt his son had been eating too much junk food. So like any good parent he offered his son two options -
1. Pick another restaurant
2. No dinner at all
His son chose the latter and upon retuning back to his mother told on his dad. The mom promptly told Dr. Marilyn Schiller who in turn reported this incident to the presiding judge. Dr. Schiller made the recommendation of having the fathers visitation time reduced. Refusing a child McDonald's must be like burning a child with a cigarette, abusing a child or some other life altering event - at least according to Dr. Schiller.
Who is right here? The father for trying to be a good parent and not giving into the demands of a child and "exercising reasonable parental prerogatives"? Or the court appointed psychologist for recommending a more restricted visitation schedule as a result of not giving into the demands of a 4-year old? If the court appointed psychologist is right in her reasoning that denying McDonald's will cause so much harm to this child that the father's time needs to be restricted then many who are reading this have been hurt by our parents refusal to take us to McDonald's when young. What does it say about the Mayor of New York - Bloomberg - who is trying to curb the unhealthy eating choices that New Yorkers make - like McDonald's and other artery clogging eating establishments - that he is so much against. Would Bloomberg be considered a bad parent?
Although this is an extreme example of what is wrong with the family court system (the divorce industry, Guardians ad litem and other family court leaches) it does call into question about who really knows what is best for our children. In this case it appears Dr. Schiller and the mom knows what is best (sarcasm intended) - by giving into the demands of a 4-year old. The father does not (again sarcasm intended) because he refused as a parent to give in to his son, his child. What is the lesson that we can take away from this - that as a parent you do what your child wants - no matter how much it goes against your core values as a person or parent. Because if you don't the courts will take what is precious to you as they know what is best (sarcasm intended).
By the way - the mother took her son to McDonald's - reinforcing her son's bad behavior and the opinion of Dr. Schiller.
For support please contact us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com or like us on Facebook.
For further reading on this case:
Yahoo! Shine
NY Daily News
The father is fighting back against Dr. Schiller for defaming his character.
On October 30, 2013 father and son were preparing to go out for dinner. The son demanded McDonald's and the father said no. According to reports that son then "threw a temper tantrum" for being denied the Golden Arches. The fathers reasoning for refusal was that he felt his son had been eating too much junk food. So like any good parent he offered his son two options -
1. Pick another restaurant
2. No dinner at all
His son chose the latter and upon retuning back to his mother told on his dad. The mom promptly told Dr. Marilyn Schiller who in turn reported this incident to the presiding judge. Dr. Schiller made the recommendation of having the fathers visitation time reduced. Refusing a child McDonald's must be like burning a child with a cigarette, abusing a child or some other life altering event - at least according to Dr. Schiller.
Who is right here? The father for trying to be a good parent and not giving into the demands of a child and "exercising reasonable parental prerogatives"? Or the court appointed psychologist for recommending a more restricted visitation schedule as a result of not giving into the demands of a 4-year old? If the court appointed psychologist is right in her reasoning that denying McDonald's will cause so much harm to this child that the father's time needs to be restricted then many who are reading this have been hurt by our parents refusal to take us to McDonald's when young. What does it say about the Mayor of New York - Bloomberg - who is trying to curb the unhealthy eating choices that New Yorkers make - like McDonald's and other artery clogging eating establishments - that he is so much against. Would Bloomberg be considered a bad parent?
Although this is an extreme example of what is wrong with the family court system (the divorce industry, Guardians ad litem and other family court leaches) it does call into question about who really knows what is best for our children. In this case it appears Dr. Schiller and the mom knows what is best (sarcasm intended) - by giving into the demands of a 4-year old. The father does not (again sarcasm intended) because he refused as a parent to give in to his son, his child. What is the lesson that we can take away from this - that as a parent you do what your child wants - no matter how much it goes against your core values as a person or parent. Because if you don't the courts will take what is precious to you as they know what is best (sarcasm intended).
By the way - the mother took her son to McDonald's - reinforcing her son's bad behavior and the opinion of Dr. Schiller.
For support please contact us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com or like us on Facebook.
For further reading on this case:
Yahoo! Shine
NY Daily News
Friday, June 14, 2013
Grandparents’ visitation blocked by appeals court
While this article does not mention Guardians ad litem it speaks to an issue that Guardians ad litem often recommend on.
While all of the details are not known - if we take on the surface just the fact that these Grandparents are being denied contact with their Grandchildren - is this really in the best interest of those children? These children are being denied contact with a part of their family that by all appearances love and nurture them. The courts state that the Grandparents have had minimal contact and as a result had no "viable relationship" with the children. At the same time it should be pointed out that the Grandparents were prevented from establishing any kind of "viable relationship". A catch 22 setup.
Daily Journal - Northest Mississippi News
JACKSON – A chancery judge was wrong to grant grandparents visitation rights with their daughter’s two children, the Mississippi Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.
The case came from a November 2011 decision by Chancellor Talmadge Littlejohn in Itawamba County Chancery Court.
“By placing limitations on who may petition for visitation,” wrote Judge Jimmy Maxwell of Oxford for the court, “the criteria keep a grandparent’s statutory right to visitation from impermissibly encroaching on the parents’ rights to rear their children as they see fit.”
Dorothy and Jack Quartaro are the parents of Shassidy Aydelott, who is married to Adam Aydelott. The Aydelotts have one daughter, and Mrs. Aydelott has another daughter.
To say they do not have a good relationship “is an understatement,” Maxwell wrote in the 10-0 decision.
Read more: Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal - Grandparents’ visitation blocked by appeals court
Full story: Daily Journal
Monday, June 10, 2013
Boy, 6, still in care overseas despite therapy ending
Irish Examiner
The case of a six-year-old boy in overseas residential care for the past three years, and who can not remember his siblings, is just one of a number of tragic cases highlighted by a project that looks at how and why children are taken into care.
In its second volume of case reports, released yesterday, the Child Care Law Reporting Project revealed an extension of the child’s placement had been granted even though his therapy ended late last year.
A solicitor for the HSE told the court the residential unit had said they had done what they could in relation to therapy with the child, who has attachment issues. The child’s father said there was concern regarding parental contact.
“He has no idea of a family,” the solicitor for the father said. The social worker explained how difficult it was to make contact with the parents after the child went to the other jurisdiction. There were issues of homelessness, opiate use and imprisonment.
Full story: Irish Examiner
The case of a six-year-old boy in overseas residential care for the past three years, and who can not remember his siblings, is just one of a number of tragic cases highlighted by a project that looks at how and why children are taken into care.
In its second volume of case reports, released yesterday, the Child Care Law Reporting Project revealed an extension of the child’s placement had been granted even though his therapy ended late last year.
A solicitor for the HSE told the court the residential unit had said they had done what they could in relation to therapy with the child, who has attachment issues. The child’s father said there was concern regarding parental contact.
“He has no idea of a family,” the solicitor for the father said. The social worker explained how difficult it was to make contact with the parents after the child went to the other jurisdiction. There were issues of homelessness, opiate use and imprisonment.
Full story: Irish Examiner
Thursday, May 16, 2013
In Georgia Investigation shows no Oversight of Guardians ad litem
An investigation into Guardians ad litem shows many of the same issues that have been seen across the country. No oversight, accountability or management of these court officers that can have such a huge impact on a child's life. When you get a Guardian ad litem that does not fulfill their role there is very little that one can do to remove them from the case. You - as a parent - are working within a dysfunctional system.
While this article and video is focused on Georgia the points that are brought up by the reporter can be applied in every state. "The mental anguish for my children and me has been huge," said Gracie Ortiz Terrett a parent that was interviewed for the piece. Gracie says what many have felt by the uncaring process and hurt that children and parents experience and can relate to.
The video can be found at CBS Atlanta News. Please feel free to comment or write us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Parental Rights being Routinely Violated by Guardians ad litem and Judges
Are divorcing parents being discriminated against by Guardians ad litem and the courts? There have been and are cases in Maine where there has been unwarranted removal of a child from one parent to another. In doing so the Guardian ad litem and by default the courts are preventing a parent from exercising their parental rights. These rights are protected substantively under the Constitution of the Untied states.
When a Guardian ad litem makes this kind of recommendation to the courts and the courts enforces this recommendation (as we have seen time and again) - placing a child under primary control of one parent. It is being done so through the use of unchecked and unsubstantiated use of the state's power. This is discriminatory and prevents a parent from passing on his/ her beliefs to their child(ren).
For more information please contact us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com or find us on Facebook for up to date information and ideas.
When a Guardian ad litem makes this kind of recommendation to the courts and the courts enforces this recommendation (as we have seen time and again) - placing a child under primary control of one parent. It is being done so through the use of unchecked and unsubstantiated use of the state's power. This is discriminatory and prevents a parent from passing on his/ her beliefs to their child(ren).
For more information please contact us at NationalGALalert@gmail.com or find us on Facebook for up to date information and ideas.
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