Category Archives: Federal Funding Depriving Children of Parents

The Truth about the Custody Case Getting International Media Attention, The Women’s Coalition


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The Truth about the Custody Case Getting International Media Attention Mom Raped as Teen Loses Custody to Rapist; Daughter Reports He Raped Her Too Women’s Coalition Jun 19 Crysta and daughter; Judge Jeffrey Cashe International MSM [MainStream Media] is reporting a Louisiana mother’s case as “shocking”, “baffling”, and “confounding”, with expressions like “How could this possibly happen?” They are portraying as bizarre a judge giving a rapist father custody when it happens all the time in family courts around the world. The only shocking thing about Crysta’s case—to those of us who know Family Court—is that the judge got caught enabling the sexually assaultive father. MSM is typically loathe to place blame on judges in custody-cases-gone-wrong and look for other scapegoats. Many are focusing on law enforcement’s failings in Crysta’s case.[To take part in activism on this case, see below.]

CRYSTA’S STORY In 2005, when Crysta was 16, she was raped by a 30 year-old man. That is automatically statutory rape, no judge or jury needed to establish that fact. But Crysta was afraid to report it as a teen and instead allowed people to believe a boyfriend had gotten her pregnant. Six years later, in 2011, the rapist found out he was the biological father of the girl and filed for custody. Crysta’s attorney never informed her she could file charges against the father just assumed it was too late. She was led to believe she had no choice but to allow the rapist into her daughter’s life. The rapist was granted shared custody, despite the undeniable, mathematical fact he had raped Crysta, which could not have escaped the judge’s notice. A few years later, the rapist was ordered to pay child support. Not long after, he filed for 50/50 parenting time in an apparent effort to reduce his child support and perhaps to gain more control. It worked.Judge Jeffrey Cashe granted the rapist’s request for 50/50 and ordered Crysta to make child support payments to him. Later, when she fell behind, her rapist filed a motion to put her in contempt, which Cashe granted. In 2015, Crysta’s trauma counselor informed her it was not too late to file criminal charges against her rapist. So she reported the rape to the local Sheriff, who proceeded to bury it. This fits the pattern of law enforcement aiding and abetting Family Court in covering up sexual abuse by fathers.

THE COVER UP Although the cover up of Crysta’s statutory rape began in 2015 after she reported it to law enforcement, the cover up of her daughter’s abuse began in earnest earlier this year, according to court documents. On February 23rd, Crysta’s then 15 year-old daughter returned from a visit with her father and told her mother he had sexually assaulted her the previous two nights. Crysta took her to the hospital, where they medical evidence of sexual assault was documented. She was interviewed at a Children’s Advocacy Center; criminal charges against the father pended blood and testing results. The next day, Crysta filed for a Restraining Order [RO] with a supporting declaration asserting her daughter had disclosed her father had physically and verbally abused her and threatened to kill her, as well as having sexually assaulted her more than once. Apparently a temporary RO was granted. But on March 21st, the father filed an ex parte (meaning no hearing was held) motion requesting sole custody on the grounds that Crysta had given her daughter a cell phone (which Crysta denies). The ongoing phone issue appears to have been an effort by the father to monitor communications. At the ex parte, Judge Cashe ignored the reports by the daughter that the rapist had physically and verbally abused and sexually assaulted her.  He granted sole custody to the rapist and restricted Crysta to supervised visits.  That is the primary way judges enable paternal sexual assault and cover it up. A common tactic is to give fathers sole custody “temporarily” at an ex parte hearing pending a trial, as Cashe did. The trial is then continued and delayed until the children have been at the abusive father’s so long they are either sufficiently threatened or Stockholmed into saying they want to live with the father. Or the judge rules it’s in their best interest to keep them there after all that time.Judges often order supervised visitation where mothers and children are monitored by a supervisor to make sure they do not talk about the father’s abuse, as Cashe did. They are told they cannot talk about abuse or they will not be able to see each other again. A long-time supervisor says the majority of supervised visitations are not to protect children from abusive fathers, but to silence mothers and children who have reported abuse by the father. I feel like I’m the victim in the situation and I’m being treated and harassed like I’m the criminal.

JUDGE JEFFREY CASHE Judge Cashe had sealed the records, another common tactic in service of the cover up of paternal abuse. It was only when the media pressured him that he unsealed them Wednesday evening, which exposed the cover ups of both the mother’s and daughter’s assaults.

This is not the first time Judge Cashe has given an abusive father full custody. After losing custody to the abuser, a mother filed a complaint with the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana, a citizen of the United states I have the right to a fair trial and due process. I’m a mother trying to protect her 7 year old son and his best interest. Judge Cashe knew exactly what he was doing when he gave the rapist father sole custody, but it is important for the public to understand that he is not an outlier. Most judges uphold the age-old, patriarchal prerogative to sexually access one’s children, in order to maintain their status and privilege within the Old Boy Network. Everyone in Family Court, including Crysta’s own attorneys, went along with Judge Cashe in keeping the father empowered and entitled. It was only when she found advocate Stacie Tiche that things began to turn around.Stacie Tiche, Crysta’s advocate(left); Crysta (right)[The father] should have never been given any rights to the child at all.Stacie Tiche, Crysta’s advocateSTATUS OF TWO CASESThe Sheriff has issued a video statement admitting his deputy “screwed up” the investigation of Crysta’s statutory rape case. He appears to have been made the fall guy for the whole mess, taking focus off Judge Cashe. He’s now sent that case to the District Attorney for investigation, with no mention of investigating the daughter’s reports of sexual assaults.The DA doesn’t have any choice but to charge for Crysta’s staturory rape, but there will likely be a sweet plea deal. There has been no word on the DA charging in the daughter’s reports of at least two sexual assaults. The rape kit appears to have either disappeared, was not tested, or the results buried.DA’s almost always go along with the Family Court cover up of paternal sexual assault—at least with middle to upper middle class white men—as that is part of the overall multi-systemic entitling of men in their family. But with all the media attention, the DA may actually do the right thing and charge Crysta’s daughter’s identified rapist.I just want my daughter home safe and my perpetrator out of our lives for good. My quality of life has suffered tremendously and [this custody case] has bankrupted me.While much media focus is on the criminal case, Judge Cashe said there is not enough evidence of the daughter’s abuse, before even having a hearing on it. There is a hearing on custody in July.First of all, it is illegal to give a child who is a result of a rape to the rapist, so it is not just the teen’s reports of sexual assaults that are at issue. If the teen is saying her father raped her and there is medical evidence corroborating it confirms it, to say there is not enough evidence is just wrong. Only preponderance is necessary in a custody case. This shows the problem is that judges can rule however they want, regardless of the evidence.There is no need for yet another custody hearing. The permanent RO should have been granted to Crysta and can be granted immediately. Since it was illegal for Crysta’s daughter to have been given to her rapist in the first place, an immediate reversal of custody judgment should be ordered.But, even with all the international outrage, Judge Cashe is still forcing Crysta’s daughter, who is now said to be 16, to stay living full time with the rapist, who is likely continuing to abuse and threaten to kill her, all the while being kept away from her loving mother.It is a widespread mistaken belief that when children turn 12, they can live with the parent they choose. Not so. In practice, the father can keep children against their will until they are 18.“SOMETHING MORE GOING ON”It seems like they are protecting him, like there’s something more going on that I don’t know about.Most mothers, like Crysta, who have had the misfortune to find themselves in Family Court, think there must be “something more going on”. It just doesn’t make sense that a judge would ignore substantial evidence of a father’s abuse and switch custody to him.What women don’t realize is that their case is rigged before they even set foot in the courtroom. They don’t realize Family Court is designed to perpetuate male entitlement in the family, especially the fathers’ rights to sexually and otherwise exploit their children.They do not realize they are sheep to the slaughter until it’s too late and they have lost custody of their precious children. And there is nothing they can do about it because the judge has all the power.The Women’s Coalition exists in large part to warn women of this sad state of affairs: that there is no way to keep or protect our children in Family Court, and that we must demand an entirely new system that actually provides due process and equal protection in contested custody cases.ACTIVISMCAMPAIGN TO CASHEIf you’d like to give Judge Jeffrey Cashe a piece of your mind:Call: (225) 686-7461 [voicemail: first press 1; then press 8 for Judge Cashe]Email: lbankston@21stjdc.orgExample:Judge Cashe, I am with The Women’s Coalition and we are disgusted that you took Crysta’s daugher away from her and gave custody to her rapist. You said there is not enough evidence of the sexual assalut of her daughter when there is physical evidence. You need to protect her immediately and allow her to live with her mother. Thank you.ALERT THE MEDIAAlert your local/national media to the truth about Crysta’s case and ask them to do a story on the thousands of mothers who’ve lost custody to an abusive ex/father. Be sure and let them know it is systemic male entitlement/discrimination against women that is causing the Custody Crisis as documented by The Women’s Coalition.You can refer them to these other current cases for examples: LacieSarah MarieRosario, and Elizabeth.You can link to this article and to the Coalition website for more information.SEXUAL ABUSE CASESThe Women’s Coalition is documenting custody cases that involve sexual abuse to support our contention that judges are deliberately disregarding evidence of abuse and enabling fathers.If you reported sexual abuse of your child in Family Court, please take a minute to fill out this form. You may do this anonymously.

IN OTHER NEWS

Thanks to everyone who attended hearings, signed petitions and contacted DA’s in the cases of: LacieSarah MarieRosarioKristina and Elizabeth.

Regrettably, the Family Court judges have not returned their children yet, nor have the DA’s dismissed charges. You can still contact them to request they do.

It is good to let these child abuse enablers know we are watching and will hold them accountable come election time.


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AMother’sHeartSongsUnsilenced Turns Seven: Why I Write, Lisa Nadig

#nataliekoga #exposethecorruption

I was forced to look directly into the face of evil, and I saw evil looking back at me. But I learned that telling the truth really does set you free – It might even save your life.

Seven years ago, on my birthday in 2014, I had no idea that my simple, anonymous blog post about a birthday cut off from my only child due to court licensed abuse, would morph into a website with the power to force the rich and powerful corrupt players in my Chicago family court case to resign. I only knew in my heart that day, celebrating my birthday alone, that I must express the inexpressible, because it was killing me. So, without any training as a writer, journalist, activist or web designer, I wrote my first article, Birthday Reflections, and published it here anonymously, on July 5, 2014.

But when the post exposing corrupt Child Representative Natalie Koga went viral, I began receiving anonymous threats to take this website down. Little did I know at the time that they were all facing investigation due to this exposure. But I will never be silenced by such bullies, and I have never accepted any payment for this website – a labor of love for fellow survivors.

Abusers know the best way to break a woman is by taking her Child. When an abusive man files for Sole Custody he gets it 70% of the time.

What began as a simple blog, developed into a comprehensive website. I’ve been contacted by people from all over the United States, and Europe, sharing similar stories, and thanking me for this site.

This site is searchable, organized under Categories and Tags. There are static “Pages” across the top, and Blog posts running down the right side.

It covers domestic abuse, legal abuse/court stalking, court corruption, Kids for Cash scams, the litigation-therapy racket, the billions of dollars in federal money for abusive fathers through the Federal Fatherhood Initiative driving these cases, the need for oversight/accountability for judges, lawyers, and court vendors, and cameras in the courtroom. Also included is information on Conservatorship and Guardianship abuse because Family Court crimes are frequently a gateway to Probate crimes.

It has comprehensive information on healing from trauma and corruption, including countless articles written by top experts, including Michael Volpe, Barry Goldstein, Tina Swithin, Doreen Ludwig, Sam Vaknin, Kim Saeed, and many others.

It also includes my own articles on healing, documenting the corruption in my own case, and others across the country. I’ve included case law, legal statutes, and lawsuits filed against corrupt officials, and abusive parents. There are Resources pages with hundreds of hours of researching and compiling valuable resources in one place.

Though when I started writing in 2014 this site was completely anonymous, my ex-husband and his vicious lawyers immediately began hauling me into court over it. Apparently, they didn’t want me to have a voice.

Natalie Koga pushed the judge to allow my ex to file 8 custody petitions, reducing my Child & I to mere commodities in their Kids for Cash scam.

As my ex’s lawyer #6 abused, and harassed me on the witness stand, to my amazement, the corrupt judge was visibly moved by my writings. For a moment frozen in time forever etched in my memory, I saw a flicker of humanity, a flash of recognition that it was wrong. I saw the person he once was as a young man, or might have become, before he fell in line, “going along to get along” in the Cook County family court racket. Visibly shaken, he quietly excused me from testifying, and hurriedly dismissed their petition for sanctions against me.

Separating children from their mothers is big business. Billions$ in Federal Fatherhood funding drives these cases, along w/ an abuser’s drive to use litigation to punish his victim for leaving & avoid child support payments.

But they kept hauling me into court to answer countless harassing motions, including four attempts to throw me in jail – all alone – because there had been so much legal/financial abuse that they ran me out of money for a lawyer.

It’s been a very long, tough journey, these past seven years. I’ve discovered things about corruption in our courts, and our government, that quite frankly, sometimes I wish I didn’t know. Dark, disturbing, ugly things that make it difficult for me to celebrate July Fourth or other patriotic holidays.

I’m grateful to the wonderful friends and mentors I’ve met along this journey. I’m inspired daily by their courage, and dedication to helping innocent people used by corrupt court officials and vendors in their pursuit of easy wealth without work – their Kids For Cash scams.

I’m profoundly grateful to the countless court victims – parents and children – who’ve stepped forward, trusting me with their stories.

The truth really does set you free – Veritas liberabit.

I’ve learned that I could survive the un-survivable – a gang – a cabal really – that tried with all their might to bully me to death through family court. I survived their threats, and stalking – both in and out of court – while being forcibly stripped of my humanity, to be used as a commodity in their scams. And I’ve learned to never stop speaking the truth, for it has the power to set you free. It might even save your life.

Fraud On The Court-No Statute of Limitations

In Part one of this continuing series “Fraud on the Court”, we discussed the definition of Fraud on the Court, how it vitiates or sets aside all orders from a court tainted by fraud on the court, and included many case law examples. https://songsunsilenced.wordpress.com/2020/09/06/fraud-on-the-court-pt-1-definitions-and-case-law/

Today we begin the first part of understanding the statute of limitations for Fraud on the Court: QUITE SIMPLY, THERE IS NO STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR FRAUD ON THE COURT.

“Exceptions[edit] (To Statutes of Limitations)

U.S. jurisdictions recognize exceptions to statutes of limitation that may allow for the prosecution of a crime or civil lawsuit even after the statute of limitations would otherwise have expired. Some states stop the clock for a suspect who is not residing within the state or is purposely hiding. Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina have no statutes of limitation for felonies, while Wyoming includes misdemeanors as well. However, the right to speedy trial may derail any prosecution after many years have passed.[50]

Fraud upon the court[edit]

When an officer of the court is found to have fraudulently presented facts to impair the court’s impartial performance of its legal task, the act (known as fraud upon the court) is not subject to a statute of limitation.[51][52] This mainly covers a “fraud where the court or a member is corrupted or influenced or influence is attempted or where the judge has not performed his judicial function — thus where the impartial functions of the court have been directly corrupted.”[53] In this regard, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has stated the following:

In order to meet the necessarily demanding standard for proof of fraud upon the court we conclude that there must be: (1) an intentional fraud; (2) by an officer of the court; (3) which is directed at the court itself; and (4) in fact deceives the court.[52]

Officer of the court in general includes any judgelaw clerkcourt clerklawyer, investigator, probation officerrefereelegal guardian, parenting-time expeditor, mediator, evaluator, administrator, special appointee, and/or anyone else whose influence is part of the judicial mechanism.[54]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statute_of_limitations#Fraud_upon_the_court

IL Mom Sues Judge, GAL & Ex For $8M

“Aneta Hadzi-Tanovic, leader of the local Illinois Women’s Coalition, has filed an $8 million federal lawsuit against Family Court judge Robert Wade Johnson, the GAL, and her ex for conspiring to deprive her under the color of law of her right to due process and equal protection, as well as for the intentional torts “abuse of process” and “intentional infliction of emotional distress”.

Aneta’s custody nightmare mirrors women’s cases all over the country and world in which Family Court judges disregard substantial negative evidence about the father, and fabricate negative evidence about the mother, in order to justify switching custody to the father.”  Mom Sues Judge, GAL and Ex For $8M In U.S. Federal Court

Happy Vengeful Father Syndrome Day!

FlowerBouquetHappy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there screwed over by our woman-hating, abuser-loving, greedy, corrupt family courts.  Mothers are amazing! It takes a really remarkable woman to survive it all.  You are loved!♥♥♥You are appreciated!♥♥♥You matter!!!♥♥♥

Mother’s are givers of life, they are kind, they are strong, they nurture.  They teach us what the words family, love, honor, and sacrifice mean. They laugh, they cry just like you and I.  They create home. They guide, they mentor.  They are nutritionists, and meal planners. They nurse, they heal, they sit with you. They are advocates, brow wipers, huggers, hand-holders, and protectors.  They have style, they have grace. They create the human race.

They work hard, they put in long hours, they are industrious.  They sew, they mend and tend.  They garden, they shop.  They are home economizers, bill payers, cooks, and chauffeurs.  They are interior decorators,  activity coordinators, and innovators.  They tend to the animals, and all creatures under their roof.  They are witty, bright, and generous of purse, time, talents, and skills.

FB_IMG_1567190447684They forgive generously, repeatedly.  They are resourceful researchers, and education interfacers.  They are capable, and fun-loving.  They are birthday cake bakers and party makers. They plan, they coordinate, they budget, they tidy it all up. They are creative, they scurry, improvising on the spot.

Moms sparkle, they beautify!   They are teachers, they are psychologists, and mediators.  They discipline, they worry, they love unconditionally.  They support, they cheer you on no matter what.  They are determined.  They have grit, they are tough.

They are loyal, they are fierce.  They are temperature takers, medicine givers, appointment makers, and frequently sleep deprived.  They are devoted, they are steadfast.

They are career sacrificers.  They are the make do with what you havers – the thrift shop dress buyers, moving sale furniture shoppers, coupon clippers, and do-withouters.  They are the the vacations,  insurance and 401k go-withouters.

Handful of starsMothers create the beauty and magic of holidays!  They are keepers of traditions.  They are gift buyers and wrappers.  They clean, decorate and prepare.  They hostess, entertain, then they pack it all up again.  They are memory makers, and photo takers.  They remember anniversaries, birthdays, and special occasions.  They are the card and gift senders.

They make you smile, they go ten extra miles!  They are loving, they are knowing and wise.  They are special, they are quirky, they are human. They are serious, they are funny, they don’t work for mere money.

1375635_10202963215273676_1558938398_nMothers are forever connected to their children at the most basic, fundamental,  core physical, cellular, mitochondrial, neurological, spiritual and emotional levels. They are all of this and so much more…they are your only, irreplaceable Mother!

♥♥♥So, to all the special, childless Moms out there – in case nobody’s told you lately – You are an amazing, terrific, remarkable, lovely, intelligent, strong, talented, resilient, breathtakingly beautiful woman!  All your work matters!  YOU MATTER!!!

♥♥♥HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!♥♥♥

 

Justice For All Task Force, Detroit, 2/24/2020

“Victims of domestic violence and protective parents do not have equal access to justice nor do they have access to equal justice in our family courts in this State.”

Photo: Michigan Supreme Court-Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack, Justice Stephen J. Markman, Justice Brian K. Zahra, Justice David F. Viviano, Justice Richard Bernstein, Justice Elizabeth T. Clement, Justice Megan K. Cavanagh.

Justice For All Task Force – Michigan-Detroit, February 24, 2020

Brave Michigan Survivors of Domestic & Legal Abuse confront the reality that Mothers are not allowed to protect their children from abusive fathers, despite overwhelming, irrefutable evidence of abuse by the father.  That “father’s rights” trumps all, child safety, health & well-being doesn’t matter, the right of children to have their Mothers parent them doesn’t matter, the rights of Mothers to their own children do not matter in Michigan.  None of it matters and it must change now!!!!

MichiganSupremeCourt

What’s a Mother Worth?

FB_IMG_1567190447684As Mother’s Day weekend commences, many are excitedly gearing up for the holiday; cards, flowers and gifts being bought, precious gifts made at school secreted away, brunch reservations made, all is being made ready for the special day.  Some of us are celebrating, while others of us are grieving.  Those of us left to celebrate Mother’s Day in quiet solitude have time on our hands to reflect, and to ask probing questions.

For some, a Mother is priceless, more precious than the finest gold, emeralds or rubies, and the mere thought of assigning a dollar value to her is not only abhorrent, it is aburd.  I would agree; it IS absurd that we even have to go there in the first place.

But we do.  In a world where Mothers have become increasinginly expendable, disposable, where Mothering work is seen as “less than”, those of us who are, or who have been, on the Mommy-track have faced a rude awakening, and forced to ask ourselves this very question.

11831720_10205666797322884_149653450646472404_n“In 1979, a young attorney named Michael H. Minton successfully argued that a housewife was worth more than $40,000 a year. The public snorted and the press made fun, but the ramifications proved enormous. When the dust finally settled, the 33-year-old Chicago lawyer had catapulted matrimonial law into an entirely new arena.”  What’s a Wife Worth? Michael Minton

But here we are in 2019 – 40 years later – and how far have we REALLY come?  When the sheer enormity of the work of Mothering, and the importance of it, is still strategically devalued by some men, along with “father’s rights” attorneys and activists, who view divorce as a game of chess to be won at all costs?  When society has bought into the false notion that a woman really can, and should have it all-all the time?  When “men’s rights” and “father’s rights” become feel-good euphamisms for “screw the bitch” in divorce? Realizing, recognizing and documenting, not only the importance, but also the monetary value of Mothering work becomes even more fundamental and important.

Investing in the career of Motherhood is in direct conflict withTorn heart our materialistic, superficial, money driven society.   How many of us have heard a stay-at-home Mom say “I’m just a Mom”.  Somehow, we’ve been sold this notion that being a Mom is not for “smart women, educated or high-value women.”

What Wife and Mother, giving her all for years, suddenly confronts this sad reality when facing terroristic, scorched earth, winner takes all divorce tactics, as well as the Federal Fatherhood Funding driving child custody decisions, hasn’t had a cold slap to the face, and the gut-wrenching realization that their work apparently had no value all along, unbeknownst to them.  But Mothers are crying out:  “No! There is indeed great economic value to the work I do!”  Government’s Intentional Devaluation of Motherhood

Being a Surrogate Mother (becoming impregnated with someone else’s baby, going to doctor’s appointments, time off from work, giving birth, sometimes having a C-Section, medical after-care, then releasing the infant to the paying parents)  has a going rate!  Yes, there are wage calculations for the work of creating a human!

20130917-105004.jpgThe thought of assigning a dollar value to this physical, emotional, and spiritual sacrifice is shocking at best.  But, here is a handy chart from one agency, West Coast Surrogacy.  A summary of costs:  Base Pay (Surrogacy and expenses) First-time $50,000; Experienced $60,000; Twins:  ad $5,000; Triplets add $10,000; C-Section, add $3,000; compensation for lost wages-actual cost; additional medical problems-$10,000.  Surrogate Mother Costs

Many of us have realized along our own divorce journey, that while Attorney Minton educated us all on the economic impact of a wife and mother’s work, that somehow we didn’t really get the message.  We thought it was “progress” to pressure women to have it all, all the time, and it is “for their own good” that they now work full-time outside of the home and full-time when they come home, and if a husband “helps out” in his spare time, then it’s oh so wonderful that he “helps”.  Statistics showing the distribution amongst the sexes of hours spent on home and parenting labor hasn’t really changed!

blind_justice_thumb_400x453Many of us have also been confronted with the disturbing reality that women who can afford an attorney such as Michael Milton will come out of their divorce at least somewhat protected, without becoming impoverished, raked through the system, and children stolen.  Sadly, we learned the old adage still holds true: you get the justice you can afford.

Especially for those doing, or having done, this immense Mothering work, we know the dedication, the exhaustion, the emotional and physical investment in a job that has no vacation days, no “off-duty” time, and that a Mother’s career typically takes a big hit.  We have learned that we can spout all the feel-good rhetoric about shared or co-parenting we want, but the practical, day to day reality for most marriages, even today, is that Mothers still do the vast majority of parenting and housework.

But as is usually the case, if Mom has been the one expected to always take a day off for a sick child, has been the backbone of the house, while father focuses on building his career, and suddenly father and his divorce attorneys demand shared parenting,  and in too many instances, erase Mom altogether, any thinking, rational person would question whether those motives arose from a sudden, personal epiphany on the importance of assuming a fair-share of parenting work (of course, after they built their career while their wife took up the slack), or is it something more calculated and self-serving.

But even with all of this ugliness, the dismissive attitude towards Mothers, and the fact that when a father fights for sole custody he wins 70% of the time, even in cases of well documented abuse, I still believe in Motherhood.  I still believe in the great importance and the immense value of this career.  If I were confronted with the same choice again, it wouldn’t change.  I would still choose this exasperating, exhausting, undervalued, demanding, joyful, life-changing, unpaid career.  I would still choose Motherhood.

FlowerBouquetSo, on this Mother’s Day, to the Mothers out there falling asleep with your newborn on your chest with the deepest joy, I acknowledge you.  To the Mother watching her child walk for the first time, I acknowledge you.  To the Mothers out there with the flu while caring for the family, I acknowledge you.  To the Mothers out there who think they’ll never get it right, I acknowledge you.  To the Mothers out there working inside and outside the home, I acknowledge you.  To the Mothers out there caring for children and aging parents at the same time, I acknowledge you.  To the Mothers out there choosing to work inside the home, I acknowledge you.  To the Mothers out there who have lost their children to death, I acknowledge you.  To the Mothers out there who have lost their children to Domestic Violence by Proxy and Court Corruption, I acknowledge you.  To all Mothers out there, I acknowledge you.

Handful of starsTo the children out there celebrating with your Mother this Mother’s Day, I acknowledge you.  To the children who have lost their Mothers to death, I acknowledge you.  To the children living long distances from their Mothers, I acknowledge you.  To the children out there separated from Mom at the border, I acknowledge you.  To the children out there missing a Mom erased by family court, I acknowedge you.  To the children out there wishing their Mother could have been better, I acknowledge you.  To the children out there just beginning to appreciate your own Mother after having children of your own, I acknowledge you.  To the children out there making their joyful school gift, I acknowledge you.  To all children out there, I acknowledge you.

Happy Mother’s Day to us all!

Widely Anticipated Article Confirms Court Mistreatment of Protective Mothers, Pt. 1, by Barry Goldstein

Part 1

For decades, protective mothers have been complaining that family courts are tilted to favor abusive fathers and that they face corruption. Court officials have tended to respond defensively and dismissed the domestic violence victims as disgruntled litigants. Over the years an ever growing collection of research, media investigations and preventable tragedies have supported the mothers’ position, but in a form of confirmation bias, court officials have ignored inconvenient findings.

In my first book with Mo Hannah, Sharon K. Araji and Rebecca L. Bosek wrote an interesting chapter in which they looked at surveys of protective mothers in five states which showed consistent court failures to protect children. It might be easy to dismiss the research because mothers with bad outcomes might be biased, but the authors compared the mother’s complaints with credible research and found the findings supported the mothers. The courts were routinely treating the mothers as if they were not credible but the scientific findings supported other research that found protective mothers rarely make deliberate false complaints.

The ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Studies from the CDC demonstrated that domestic violence and child abuse are far more harmful than previously understood and that physical abuse is not required to ruin children’s lives. In other words the courts have been minimizing the seriousness of DV and child abuse and basically ignoring non-physical tactics. Despite the research, courts are still not focused on reducing the fear and stress from abuser tactics that cause children so much harm. And most of the standard court practices undermine the needed healing.

The Saunders’ Study was designed to consider the knowledge and training about domestic violence possessed by evaluators, judges and lawyers. The Study found many of these professionals do not have the specific knowledge necessary to respond to domestic violence. Those without the needed training tend to focus on the myth that mothers frequently make deliberate false reports and unscientific alienation theories. These mistakes lead to outcomes that harm children. Five years after the release of the Saunders’ Study these mistaken assumptions continue to predominate. Saunders also looked at harmful outcome cases in which alleged abusers win custody and safe, protective mothers are limited to supervised visitation. These decisions are always wrong and based on flawed practices but remain common in the family courts.

Widely Anticipated Article Confirms Court Mistreatment of Protective Mothers

Why Family Courts and CPS Target Fit Parents, by Patricia Mitchell

By Patricia Mitchell

Rich, poor, middle class – no child in America is safe. These words of award-winning investigative journalist Keith Harmon Snow (author of The Worst Interests of the Child) refer to the abusive practices that regularly occur within the Family Courts and Child Protective Services (CPS) Courts. On their watch, each year hundreds of thousands of children suffer from abuse (including rape and prolonged torture) that would not have happened without this court system’s initial invasion and subsequent entrapment.

Removing children from their homes, separating children from parents, and creating conflict within the family unit is good business for the judicial officials and has become what the Family and CPS Courts do best.

Court officials heavily profit from these induced conflicts. They have learned how to milk the system for financial gain, by targeting the protective (fit) parent instead of the abusive (unfit) parent, resulting in children getting placed with pedophiles, sadistic sociopaths, and narcissists, in life-threatening environments. Although “the State” will pay the court officials if a low income or poor family is involved, the system forces protective parents who are middle class or wealthier to foot the bills for all court services. Either way, rich or poor, court officials have made a big business out of family conflicts, using children as currency.

Why would the courts target a fit parent instead of an unfit parent? Because there is no money to be made off of the unfit one. The Family and CPS Courts require one parent willing to participate with them, to care about the child’s well being and, most importantly, to make a commitment to the courts. Protective parents will do anything and everything the courts demand of them. Whereas abusive parents are more likely to give in after the court system’s first hurdle, demand, or when he/she sees the bills, simply saying, “Fine, take the child.”  Why Family Courts and CPS Target Fit Parents

In the Case of California Mom Roisin Cassidy: Did Jennifer Ani Fail Her Client, from Divorce In Connecticut

“In the end, Roisin Cassidy paid at least $50,000 in legal fees to defend her right to parent, all of which led to nothing. Why?  Because Attorney Jennifer Ani simply abandoned her client, lied about her client, and then attempted to withdraw from the case while inflicting the maximum damage possible, all in violation of her professional ethics.  As Roisin said to me, “How could this happen?” We’d also like to know the answer to that question as well.”

Did Attorney Jennier Ani fail her client, Roisin Cassidy?