I wonder why these debtors are failing to make payments. Maybe they were bled dry by the system and as a Guardian ad litem rarely adds any value to the process figured - won't pay.
Green Bay Press Gazette
When people owe you $16.6 million, you can't realistically expect to recoup it all at once.
That's why Brown County Clerk of Courts John Vander Leest isn't too discouraged that his latest initiative to put a dent in that debt netted less than $8,000.
"We will continue to refine the process to get more accurate addresses and hold parties accountable," Vander Leest said.
Vander Leest's new initiative involves trying to haul debtors into court and get them onto a court-ordered payment schedule. The initiative is similar to one the county does once a week for nonpayment in criminal cases, but this effort is aimed at those debtors who were supposed to pay for a "guardian ad litem," a lawyer representing their children during their divorce proceedings or paternity cases.
Full Story: Green Bay Press Gazette
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
UT - New parenting law gives divorced parents equal time with children
Fox13
DRAPER, Utah – A new law is leveling the playing field between divorced parents.
The new law gives a parent who does not have custody of their child equal rights to time with their child.
As of Tuesday, both parents could get to spend equal time with their children.
Advocates say, traditionally, family courts awarded sole custody to one parent usually the mother, about 80 percent of the time.
Under House Bill 35, a judge could grant a non-custodial parent more time with their child.
So that means a child’s midweek visit becomes an overnight visit and a weekend visit to mom or dad’s ends Monday morning, instead of Sunday evening.
Full Story: Fox13
DRAPER, Utah – A new law is leveling the playing field between divorced parents.
The new law gives a parent who does not have custody of their child equal rights to time with their child.
As of Tuesday, both parents could get to spend equal time with their children.
Advocates say, traditionally, family courts awarded sole custody to one parent usually the mother, about 80 percent of the time.
Under House Bill 35, a judge could grant a non-custodial parent more time with their child.
So that means a child’s midweek visit becomes an overnight visit and a weekend visit to mom or dad’s ends Monday morning, instead of Sunday evening.
Full Story: Fox13
MI - Lawsuit against judge over child's removal can go forward
WXYZ
DETROIT (WXYZ) - A federal judge has ruled that a couple's lawsuit against a Wayne County judge can go forward.
They accuse family court Judge Judy Hartsfield of improperly having their son removed from their custody, relying on pre-signed child-removal orders filled out by a clerk.
"It was an unbelievable nightmare. Far worse than the death of my first child," said mother Claire Zimmeran.
Her husband, a professor at the University of Michigan, mistakenly gave their then 7-year old son Mike's Hard Lemonade, which contains alcohol, at a Detroit Tigers game. A security guard complained, and the boy ended up in foster care for three days and was then turned over to his mother.
"I felt totally helpless, I felt desperate," Zimmerman said.
Full story: WXYZ
DETROIT (WXYZ) - A federal judge has ruled that a couple's lawsuit against a Wayne County judge can go forward.
They accuse family court Judge Judy Hartsfield of improperly having their son removed from their custody, relying on pre-signed child-removal orders filled out by a clerk.
"It was an unbelievable nightmare. Far worse than the death of my first child," said mother Claire Zimmeran.
Her husband, a professor at the University of Michigan, mistakenly gave their then 7-year old son Mike's Hard Lemonade, which contains alcohol, at a Detroit Tigers game. A security guard complained, and the boy ended up in foster care for three days and was then turned over to his mother.
"I felt totally helpless, I felt desperate," Zimmerman said.
Full story: WXYZ
Monday, May 25, 2015
MN - An Opportunity for the Public to Comment and Provide Feedback to the Minnesota State GAL Board
URGENT UPDATE - This is an important opportunity for the public to provide input to the Minnesota State GAL Board. A group of concerned parents has been fighting for reform, and specifically asked to improve the complaint procedure so when you file a complaint against a Guardian it is actually heard and investigated. The Board responded and has published a draft of the proposed changes to the complaint procedure:
http://mn.gov/guardian-ad-litem/Notices/
You can submit feedback to Program Admin Suzanne Alliegro via instructions on the site. OR you can contact this group of parents, and work together with them to give feedback. They may offer public comment at the next GAL Board meeting.
E-mail: victimsofmanning@hotmail.com
OR
https://acalltoactionblog.wordpress.com/
http://mn.gov/guardian-ad-litem/Notices/
You can submit feedback to Program Admin Suzanne Alliegro via instructions on the site. OR you can contact this group of parents, and work together with them to give feedback. They may offer public comment at the next GAL Board meeting.
E-mail: victimsofmanning@hotmail.com
OR
https://acalltoactionblog.wordpress.com/
Sunday, May 17, 2015
TX - Texas guardianship bill seeks to strengthen individual rights
Watchdog Arena
A Tuesday hearing before the Texas House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence addressing HB 3914 rekindled the ongoing debate over abusive guardianship. Reform advocates call the system one-sided and exploitative even as probate court personnel and associated parties defended the status quo.
State Rep. Stephanie Klick, R-Fort Worth, introduced HB 3914, explaining how news coverage of high profile guardianship cases have made the public more aware of processes that occur in probate courts. The bill, she said, is to strengthen the due process of those proceedings while providing new protections and rights to persons alleged to be incapacitated by court-initiated guardianship proceedings.
“While we want to protect those truly incapacitated who might be at risk of being abused or exploited,” Klick noted, “the number of cases making news has been people who left you with the impression they didn’t really need a guardianship.”
Klick called guardianships “a pretty intrusive procedure.”
Guardianships can be of a person, of an estate or both. Depending on which, a person potentially cannot enter into a contract. They typically lose access to and control of their financial assets and physical property. Guardianships can cause a person to lose access of whom they can associate with. They can make no decisions regarding living arrangements or medical treatment. They can’t even vote.
HB 3914 seeks to establish additional requirements for court-initiated guardianship proceedings. It first calls for appointment of a guardian ad litem or court investigator to determine if the person is incapacitated and if a guardianship is necessary.
Full Story: Watchdog Arena
A Tuesday hearing before the Texas House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence addressing HB 3914 rekindled the ongoing debate over abusive guardianship. Reform advocates call the system one-sided and exploitative even as probate court personnel and associated parties defended the status quo.
State Rep. Stephanie Klick, R-Fort Worth, introduced HB 3914, explaining how news coverage of high profile guardianship cases have made the public more aware of processes that occur in probate courts. The bill, she said, is to strengthen the due process of those proceedings while providing new protections and rights to persons alleged to be incapacitated by court-initiated guardianship proceedings.
“While we want to protect those truly incapacitated who might be at risk of being abused or exploited,” Klick noted, “the number of cases making news has been people who left you with the impression they didn’t really need a guardianship.”
Klick called guardianships “a pretty intrusive procedure.”
Guardianships can be of a person, of an estate or both. Depending on which, a person potentially cannot enter into a contract. They typically lose access to and control of their financial assets and physical property. Guardianships can cause a person to lose access of whom they can associate with. They can make no decisions regarding living arrangements or medical treatment. They can’t even vote.
HB 3914 seeks to establish additional requirements for court-initiated guardianship proceedings. It first calls for appointment of a guardian ad litem or court investigator to determine if the person is incapacitated and if a guardianship is necessary.
Full Story: Watchdog Arena
GA - Augusta courts respond to complaints against guardians ad litem
FOX6 WBRC
AUGUSTA, GA (WFXG) -
There's a new set of rules designed to help clear up problems in the Augusta Judicial Circuit's guardian ad litem system.
Tom Allgood, an attorney and one of the authors of the new rules and application process, said the changes started several months ago and took several re-drafts. The new rules are designed to keep a closer eye on the guardian ad litem system.
"It just got to be too cumbersome," Allgood said.
Judges making their own rules, guardians charging clients what they felt was fair, and some guardians taking on way more cases than others.
These were just some of the reasons for a 13-page comprehensive overhaul changing the guidelines and application process to become a guardian ad litem for the Augusta Judicial Circuit.
"All the judges had their own rules, and they had ways, or methods, but they each approved guardians for use or assignment in their cases individually," Allgood said. "It was just decided that we could better use this resource if we drafted some rules and guidelines that applied to every guardian assigning cases by any judge."
WFXG was the first to investigate allegations against Janet Weinberger and complaints about her billing practices.
Now, nearly six months after our story aired, new rules and bylaws are being drafted.
Full Story: FOX6 WBRC
AUGUSTA, GA (WFXG) -
There's a new set of rules designed to help clear up problems in the Augusta Judicial Circuit's guardian ad litem system.
Tom Allgood, an attorney and one of the authors of the new rules and application process, said the changes started several months ago and took several re-drafts. The new rules are designed to keep a closer eye on the guardian ad litem system.
"It just got to be too cumbersome," Allgood said.
Judges making their own rules, guardians charging clients what they felt was fair, and some guardians taking on way more cases than others.
These were just some of the reasons for a 13-page comprehensive overhaul changing the guidelines and application process to become a guardian ad litem for the Augusta Judicial Circuit.
"All the judges had their own rules, and they had ways, or methods, but they each approved guardians for use or assignment in their cases individually," Allgood said. "It was just decided that we could better use this resource if we drafted some rules and guidelines that applied to every guardian assigning cases by any judge."
WFXG was the first to investigate allegations against Janet Weinberger and complaints about her billing practices.
Now, nearly six months after our story aired, new rules and bylaws are being drafted.
Full Story: FOX6 WBRC
MA - Taking it to the Hill: Child-centered divorce court reform deserves legislative support
Massachusetts leads the nation as one of 17 states proposing child-centered family court reform. Please urge our lawmakers to pass this historic proposal.
The bills H.1207 and S. 834 encourage shared parenting after divorce unless one parent is unfit. Currently, family courts award sole custody to one parent in roughly 80 percent of cases, reducing the other to little more than a visitor in the lives of their children. This seems based on the 1950s family model of breadwinners and homemakers. It is out of line with data on outcomes for children of divorce.
According to federal statistics, the 35 percent of children raised by single parents account for 63 percent of teen suicides, 71 percent of school dropouts and 85 percent of those in prison. Clearly, millions of families suffer under the existing broken system.
Further Reading: Wicked Local Lexington
The bills H.1207 and S. 834 encourage shared parenting after divorce unless one parent is unfit. Currently, family courts award sole custody to one parent in roughly 80 percent of cases, reducing the other to little more than a visitor in the lives of their children. This seems based on the 1950s family model of breadwinners and homemakers. It is out of line with data on outcomes for children of divorce.
According to federal statistics, the 35 percent of children raised by single parents account for 63 percent of teen suicides, 71 percent of school dropouts and 85 percent of those in prison. Clearly, millions of families suffer under the existing broken system.
Further Reading: Wicked Local Lexington
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