Connecticut - Opinion: Family Court System Expensive, Inefficient And Abusive

Connecticut Law Tribune

On Feb. 26, there was a historic vote at the state Capitol in which family court Judge Leslie Olear was only narrowly reappointed by the legislature. This vote came after public protests which gained media attention and after legislators were called into action to address the serious problems in our state's family courts. After this vote, some members of the legal community understandably rushed to defend Judge Olear, claiming that the votes against her were politically motivated and only in response to complaints being expressed by a "small number of family court critics." This is simply not the case.

This vote came after scores of parents, adult children of divorce, grandparents, attorneys and business executives testified until the early morning hours in front of a task force in January, after more than 630 parents signed a petition demanding legislative reforms of the family court's broken guardian ad litem (GAL) system, and after legislators were inundated with thousands of complaints about our family courts from parents, as consumers of the family court system's services.

Full story: Connecticut Law Tribune


Related stories:
Connecticut Law Tribune - Opinion: Judge Became Pawn In Debate Over Family Court Issues

Connecticut - Opinion: Judge Became Pawn In Debate Over Family Court Issues

Kim Knox opens with placing the blame of the parent/ consumer and not on the Judges - especially not the 'Honorable Leslie Olear' who - because of circumstance finds herself on the hot seat. As the old saying indicates "what goes around comes around" - it would appear 'Honorable Leslie Olear' is getting what she deserves.

Connecticut Law Tribune

The Honorable Leslie Olear came before the General Assembly for reappointment on Feb. 26, having served the previous eight years with a stellar record. By all accounts, she is the type of judge that Connecticut deserves and needs: smart, hard-working and committed to doing what is fair and just.

But Olear had the misfortune of being a sitting family law judge when the reappointment vote was cast, and thus became a pawn in a highly charged, politically sensitive debate over structural issues in the family courts – a debate in which a small number of family court critics appear to be using the reappointment process as a means to give voice to their dissatisfaction about the functioning of that all-important docket within the Judicial Branch.

Full story: Connecticut Law Tribune

Related stories:
Connecticut - Opinion: Family Court System Expensive, Inefficient And Abusive