News Articles
Mother of murdered toddler turns pain into purpose
December 7, 2023 – Fox 17 West Michigan
Claim abuse, lose custody: A bill aims to curb a trend born of the theory of ‘parental alienation’
December 7, 2023 – PublicSource, Pittsburgh, PA
Senator Sponsors State Child Protection Bill To Prevent Abuse, Repeated Tragedies
November 9, 2023 – The Oswegonian
Child files restraining order against mother day before being forced to “reunify” with abusive parent
October 29, 2022 – NewsBreak
The Murderer’s Little Boy
March 17, 2022 – Texas Observer
They took her children away
November 12, 2021 – Monitor Saint Paul
Social justice advocates raise awareness of efforts to improve child safety in family court system
November 11, 2021 – News 12 Hudson Valley
Raising awareness for issues within the family court system
November 9, 2021 – 23ABC News Bakersfield
I Have to Fight for Him: Florida Mom Pushes for Court Reform After Son’s Murder
October 15, 2021 – Craig Melvin Report, MSNBC
Proposed law would make it tough for abusive parents to get unsupervised visits with their kids
August 27, 2021 – Orange County Register
Assembly Passes Bill Mandating Ongoing Training of Forensic Evaluators of Child Abuse Cases
June 12, 2021 – Norwood News
New Domestic Violence Law Proposed After 5-Year-Old Boy’s Death at Hands of Father
August 26, 2020 – NBC Los Angeles
Fatal Court – Inside the Family Court Crisis that has left more than 700 children dead.
September 17, 2019 – Deseret News
She Went to Court to Save Her 3-Year-Old Daughter. Days Later, the Child Was Dead.
July 22, 2019 – The New Times
California’s troubled judicial misconduct watchdog may miss key deadlines to improve: Problems could undermine public trust in court system
June 13, 2019 – The Mercury News
A Burning Car With Doors Chained Shut, and a 3-Year-Old Victim, in Queens
May 6, 2019 – The New York Times
Woman killed in Las Vegas murder-suicide was leaving man, says mother
July 12, 2017 – Las Vegas Review-Journal
Senator Leyva Introduces “Giving Children a Voice Act”
January 27, 2017 – East County Today
California’s family court system places kids back in the hands of alleged abusers
January 26, 2017 – Sacramento News & Review
Report Sheds Light on Plight of Parents in Custody Cases Involving Child Abuse
December 7, 2016 – Rewire
Custody in Crisis: How Family Courts Nationwide Put Children in Danger
December 1, 2016 – 100Reporters
Judicial Discipline Commission Sues to Restrict State Audit
October 24, 2016 – The Recorder (subscription required)
Legislative committee chairman can’t predict outcome of state’s first judicial commission audit
August 26, 2016 – Northern California Record
Activist for audit of state judicial commission jailed, action could be retaliatory, fellow activist says
August 24, 2016 – Northern California Record
Pressure persists to sanction Stanford rape judge
August 24, 2016 – SFBay
Is Anybody Judging the Judges? The California Legislature Wants Answers
August 15, 2016 – San Diego Free Press
Audit of state judicial commission praised by Marin court critics
August 11, 2016 – Marin Independent Journal
California takes steps toward improving judicial accountability
August 11, 2016 – Reveal, The Center for Investigative Reporting
Legislative Panel OKs Audit of Massive California Tunnels
August 11, 2016 – Associated Press
Lawmakers Want Audit of Judicial Discipline Commission
August 4, 2016 – The Recorder
Lawmakers want judges to be more accountable after the Stanford case
August 1, 2016 – Reveal, The Center for Investigative Reporting
His Boy Dead, all dad wanted was for someone to listen
August 1, 2016 – The Des Moines Register
Wolferts Sisters Face Possible Return to Alleged Abuser
January 27, 2016 – Huffington Post
Governor Brown signs Wieckowski bill to improve child custody evaluations
July 17, 2015 – Capital Press Release
Pa. killings suspect found dead with self-inflicted knife wounds
December 16, 2014 – USA Today
California’s Judicial Council Welcomes New Members Before Hearing Tumult
October 27, 2014 – Courthouse News Service
When parents kill: FBI data reveal disturbing patterns
October 25, 2014 – USA Today
Advocates and Lawyers Protest Judicial Branch (slideshow)
September 19, 2014- SF Examiner
Protest planned in SF against state’s ‘broken’ judicial system
September 18, 2014 – SF Examiner
Family Court Judge Gives Custody of 6-Year-Old to Registered Sex Offender
September 8, 2014 – Daily Kos
Documentary Exposes Our $50 Billion a Year Divorce Industry
August 18, 2014 – Daily Kos
Lawyers Who Criticize Judges Are Being Punished – Jonathan Turley
July 28, 2014 – Daily Kos
Powerful Valrico family court psychologist has a troubled past
November 15, 2013 – Tampa Bay Times
Lawmaker hosts town halls across the state to highlight CPS experiences
October 24, 2013 – News10/KXTV
Mother of Hanover twins killed amid custody dispute begged court for help
September 19, 2013 – CBS 6
Jury Awards $313k to Former Family Court Mediator
Oct. 12, 2012 – KNCO
Article includes sound clips from the interview with former family court mediator Emily Gallup.
Jury finds in favor of Gallup
Oct. 12, 2012 – The Union of Grass Valley
Big-name Cleveland family embroiled in custody battle
Sept.28, 2012 – Cleveland 19 News
Mother who became fugitive to protect son returns to court
Aug. 27, 2012 – WSMV-TV (updated Sept. 10, 2012)
In Online Videos, Teenager Who Alleges Abuse Makes Plea For Help
Aug. 30, 2012 – Monterey Herald
Bill Perry Removed from Family Court for Disturbing Blog Posts
March 28, 2012 – SF Weekly
Family Court Audit Raises Questions
July 6, 2011 – NBC Bay Area (also ran in NBC Los Angeles and NBC San Diego)
Family Court Therapist Janelle Burrill Charged with Misconduct by Attorney General’s Office
April 7, 2011 – SF Weekly
California Family Courts Helping Pedophiles, Batterers Get Child Custody
March 2, 2011 – SF Weekly
State Audit Triggers New Scrutiny of Family Courts
February 10, 2011 – Capitol Weekly
Audit Critical of Marin, Sacramento Family Courts
January 21, 2011 – Associated Press
(Article was picked up by News10, an ABC affiliate, in Sacramento, San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times, Fresno Bee)
State Auditor Critical of Marin, Sacramento Family Courts
January 21, 2011 – California Watch
State Audit Faults Marin Family Court on Mediators, Procedures
January 21, 2011 – Marin Independent Journal
Family Law Audit Finds Sloppy Record-Keeping
January 20, 2011 – The Recorder (subscription required)
State Audit Questions Qualifications of Family Court Personnel
January 20, 2011 – SF Weekly
Protesters Demand Criminal Probe of Marin Divorce Court
October 13, 2010 – Marin Independent Journal
Document Purge in Marin Family Court Draws Scrutiny
Friday, August 6, 2010 – Marin Independent Journal
When Fathers Kill Their Kids
May 5, 2010 – The Daily Beast
A Father’s Quest
January 13, 2010 – East Bay Express
Disorder in the Courts
November 18, 2009 – Santa Cruz Metro News
Children’s Crusade
November 11, 2009 – San Jose Metro News
Editorial: Marin Family Courts Audit is Costly – but Important
July 10, 2009 – Marin Independent Journal
State Orders Audit of Marin Family Court
July 1, 2009 – Marin Independent Journal
Byron Williams: Dysfunctional Family Court System may be Doing More Harm than Good
June 14, 2009 – Huffington Post
Several bills seek to reform family courts
February 12, 2009 – Capitol Weekly
Lieber seeking audit of family court system
June 26, 2008 – Capitol Weekly
Court Critics Air Concerns at Forum
November 15, 2007 – Marin Independent Journal
Officials Say Elder Abuse Increasing
January 31, 2007 – Novato Advance
Judges, Court Officials Skip Forum
September 29, 2006 – Marin Independent Journal
How a Reviled Court System Has Outlasted Critics
September 27, 2006 – The New York Times
Small-Town Justice, With Trial and Error
September 26, 2006 – The New York Times
In Tiny Courts of N.Y., Abuses of Law and Power
September 25, 2006 – The New York Times
Watchdog Group Drills Courts on Disclosure
May 19, 2006 – Marin Independent Journal
Opinion Pieces
California children deserve to be safe from violence and abuse. Here’s how we are making it happen.
August 24, 2021 – Medium, by Senator Dave Min
Parental alienation should have no place in our law or legal system
February 26, 2021 – Politics Home, by Baroness Arminka Helic
Workgroup Seeks Changes to Domestic Violence, Custody, and Abuse Proceedings
December 8, 2020 – Maryland Matters, by Hannah Gaskill
How The Family Court’s Purpose To Protect Children Became Inverted
November 19, 2020 – Medium, by Grant Wyeth
VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE SERIES: ‘She must have done something wrong’
October 18, 2020 – The Monitor St. Paul, by Tesha M. Christensen
Maryland child custody committee recommends specialized judges for custody cases involving child abuse or domestic violence
October 14, 2020 – Stop Abuse Campaign
Why do Family Courts repeat their mistakes?
February 19, 2020 – Stop Abuse Campaign, by Barry Goldstein
Family court crisis: courts placing children with abusive parents with tragic results
October 15, 2019 – Child Welfare Monitor
Mullane: A year after her daughter’s murder, ‘Kayden’s Korner’ set to launch
July 28, 2019 – Bucks County Courier Times, by JD Mullane
Marin Voice: New film exposes crisis in U.S. family courts
April 5, 2018 – Marin Independent Journal
Viewpoint: How Persky Case Shows the Need for More Data on Judicial Decision-Making
January 18, 2017 – The Recorder, by CJE ED Kathleen Russell and Joseph Sweeney
Marin Voice: There are sound reasons for audit of judicial commission
September 16, 2016 – Marin Independent Journal, by CJE ED Kathleen Russell
New Report Alleges Commission on Judicial Performance Doesn’t Measure Up
March 26, 2016 – The People’s Vanguard, Press Release by CJE ED Kathleen Russell
The Criminal Cottage Industry Operating in Family Courts
May 6, 2015 – The People’s Vanguard
My Thoughts on Dylan Farrow
February 9, 2014 – Nancy Lee Grahn
Memo to judges: First do no harm!
February 11, 2012 – Patriot Ledger, by Wendy Murphy
Marin Voice OpEd
January 28, 2011 – Marin Independent Journal, by CJE ED Kathleen Russell
Guest Opinion: Kids Need Help in Coping with Parents’ Breakups
October 26, 2010 – Billings Gazette
Child Abuse: When family courts get it wrong
October 14, 2009 – Christian Science Monitor, by CJE ED Kathleen Russell
Contempt of Courts
December 1 , 2006 – Pacific Sun (Letter to the Editor)
Marin Voice: Raphael Durr and Cesar Lagleva: Judicial excellence is a vital goal
October 25, 2006 – Marin Independent Journal, by Raphael Durr and Cesar Lagleva