Center for Judicial Excellence

Justice. Accountability. Integrity.

  • About CJE
    • Meet Our Board of Directors
    • CJE Staff
  • Donate
  • Contact CJE
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Initiatives
    • Advocacy & Legislation
      • Media Advocacy
      • Policy & Legislation
      • Prior Legislative Victories
    • CJE Youth Speak
      • Forced “Reunification Camps”
    • U.S. Divorce Child Murder Data
    • Educating Oversight Agencies
    • Marin Court Misconduct
  • Resources
    • Family Court Crisis Background
    • Domestic Violence & Child Abuse Resources
    • Pro Bono Services, Self-Help Centers & Court Information
    • IVAT Conference Presentation
    • Survivor-Led Advocacy Efforts
  • Media
    • Allen v. Farrow 2021 Panel Discussion
    • Kids of Divorce Speak Out
    • CJE in the News
      • Online & Print
      • TV & Radio
      • Press Releases
    • The Director’s Corner
    • Special Projects
      • Film
      • Photo Exhibit
      • Slideshow
    • Photo Gallery
    • Events
      • Upcoming Events
        • Advocacy Training
      • Previous Forums & Events
        • Allen v. Farrow 2021 Panel Discussion
        • Santa Monica Weekend
        • People’s Choice Award!
        • 10 Year Anniversary Campaign
  • Take Action!
    • Donate
    • Volunteer
    • Advocacy Training Sign-Up
    • Get Social
  • News
  • Jean Taylor Memorial Fund
You are here: Home / News / 1/22/14 Press Release- Kids of Divorce Speak Out

1/22/14 Press Release- Kids of Divorce Speak Out

January 22, 2014


cje-logo-1jpg

For Immediate Release:                                                                                      
Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Media Contact:
Kathleen Russell

Kids of Divorce Speak Out: “Divorce Corp.” The Untold Story

New Dr. Drew Movie Prompts Shocking New Videos About Horrific Abuses

in U.S. Family Court System

SAN RAFAEL, CA — Inspired by the release of the controversial new film, DIVORCE CORP., which is narrated by HLN’s Dr. Drew Pinsky, the Center for Judicial Excellence has launched a new online media campaign focused on bringing the voices that are missing from the movie, those of the “Kids of Divorce” and a child abuse expert, to the national debate about the need for comprehensive family court reform. The campaign is also pushing a Change.org petition demanding Congressional Oversight Hearings on the Failure of Family and Divorce Courts.

DIVORCE CORP. was released on January 10 in 15 states. The documentary exposes numerous abuses and corruption in the family court system throughout the nation that have resulted in a rash of social ills, including home foreclosure, bankruptcy, suicide and violence.

Kids of Divorce Speak Out is a new online campaign inspired by DIVORCE CORP. The online campaign features riveting 2-3 minute video clips from young adult survivors of divorce and can be seen by clicking here: https://centerforjudicialexcellence.org/cje-projects-initiatives/kids-of-divorce-speak-out/. Each of these young spokespeople have either been emancipated or have aged out of the family court system, enabling them to speak freely and openly about their harrowing divorce court ordeals.

Suraj was taken from his home in handcuffs at age 12 and could not see or speak to his Dad or other family members for four years, because of a court-appointed therapist’s lies to the court. Suraj said, “I wrote several letters and videos to the judge, attempting to expose what was going on…this reunification therapist has over 50 complaints filed against her … and yet from what I understand, she still has the ability to practice, which to me is sickening.”

Jennifer and her brother were severely beaten by their abusive father for years. Yet a Minnesota family court judge took them away from their loving Mom and forced them to live with their abuser, while also denying them all contact with their mother. When the court eventually allowed supervised visits with their Mom, Jennifer said, “I was told multiple times that I wasn’t allowed to talk about what my father was doing to us, to talk about the abuse. I showed up with bruises and I showed my mother, and I got in trouble.”

Rebecca was physically grabbed by a therapist who forced her to “reunite” with her physically abusive Dad against her will, while other court-appointed counselors threatened that she might never see her Mom again if she didn’t cooperate. Rebecca said, “The courts forced me to go to 12 different therapists, many of whom were abusive. The only reason that we were going to therapy was so they could take money from us.”

Therapists Speak Out About Child Safety Concerns

The Kids of Divorce Speak Out campaign also presents disturbing new video footage from DIVORCE CORP.’S  whistleblowing former court mediator Emily Gallup. She recounts judges angrily threatening and coercing parents into premature settlements that endangered their children amidst of a culture of bias against domestic violence victims. National child abuse expert Dr. Joyanna Silberg challenges the “junk science” that is used by courts to discredit legitimate child abuse in divorce cases, while also describing the undue power of court evaluators to determine a child’s future in family courts.

The Center for Judicial Excellence (CJE) has worked for six years to reform the broken family court system. It organized the first White House briefing on the family court crisis in 2010; passed a law granting California children the right to testify in family court (AB 1050- Ma) in 2010; and helped Senator Mark Leno push through an official audit of the Marin and Sacramento County Family Courts in 2009, which showed widespread problems with family court appointees.

CJE is joined by Atlanta-based My Advocate Center which has provided family court case intervention and other services to parents since 2011in an effort to reduce conflict in child custody cases. My Advocate Center also educates family court professionals and policymakers on how to elevate the practice and counter unethical and corrupt proceedings. Like CJE, My Advocate Center is working with legislators to institute family court reform.

All five of the Kids of Divorce Speak Out campaign spokespeople are available for media interviews by contacting Kathleen Russell or Steve Burdo at 415-524-8819 or info@kathleenrussell.com. Suraj and Rebecca have never spoken to the press before, and the others have received limited exposure to date. Extensive legal documents validating these stories are available upon request to interested journalists.

 

###

P.O. Box 150793 San Rafael, CA 94915

info@centerforjudicialexcellence.org ~ www.centerforjudicialexcellence.org

Click Here to Read Press Release in New Window (PDF)

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • More
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Filed Under: News

Click here to see our complete U.S. Child Homicide dashboard!

Donate

CJE’s Mission

CJE is a nonprofit organization based in San Rafael, California. Our mission is to protect child abuse and domestic violence survivors in the U.S. family court system and to foster accountability throughout the judicial branch.

For nearly two decades, the Center has been a voice for vulnerable children and a catalyst for child safety as we work tirelessly to expose the systemic failures in U.S. family courts that are harming countless children. We accomplish this by educating the media, lawmakers, and the public about the need for significant reforms while we spearhead legislation focused on keeping children safe and alive through their parent’s divorce or separation.

Contact Us

P.O. Box 150793
San Rafael, California 94915
Phone: 415-444-6556
Email:
info@centerforjudicialexcellence.org

Find Us on Facebook

CJE Facebook Page

Email List Signup

CJE DOES NOT GIVE LEGAL ADVICE. We want to hear your story, however, please be advised, if you choose to share information with us, we can not guarantee your privacy.
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; CJE and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites. Readers of this website should contact their attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal matter. No reader, user, or browser of this site should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information on this site without first seeking legal advice from counsel in the appropriate jurisdiction. Only your individual attorney can provide assurances whether the information contained herein applies to your particular situation.

 

Copyright © 2025 Center for Judicial Excellence. All Rights Reserved.

Log in

 

Loading Comments...