What “Parental Rights” Leaves Out
Defending Education's RISE report ranks states on parental rights, focusing on school transparency and sex education laws. Tennessee and Alabama top the list, while Illinois ranks last. The report, however, neglects to address custody laws, leading to…
She Had Time to Read It
Christina Avgerinos reached out to express concern over a Medium article that mentioned her and their son Dylan, accusing the author of hypocrisy while questioning the lack of communication regarding their child. The author highlights a consistent…
What Losing Contact With a Child Does to a Parent’s Mind
Research indicates that parents alienated from their children suffer significant mental health consequences, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Current family court systems lack effective procedures to assess post-custody mental health…
The Narrative Nobody Fact-Checks
A recent tabloid story about Brad Pitt explores how narratives surrounding custody disputes can be reshaped over time. It emphasizes discrepancies between Pitt's past admissions of drinking problems and the anonymous claims blaming his ex-wife Angelina…
A $21 Million Verdict Didn’t Give Cynthia Hayek Her Kids Back
A jury awarded Cynthia Hayek and Kenneth Hamp more than $21 million after finding that false abuse allegations helped cost Hayek her children. The judgment survived appeal. What remains unclear is whether the custody system ever gave her relationship…
“Worth It”: When a Custody Order Isn’t Enough to Save a Child
Jake Stoner went to court, won emergency custody of his infant son and reported the violation when the boy disappeared. Weeks later, an employer’s background check found the mother before the child-recovery system did. By then, it was too late.
Maryland Proclaims a Month for Collecting. Not One for Showing Up.
Maryland has declared August 2026 National Child Support Awareness Month, praising its support enforcement system. However, the article critiques this approach, highlighting a lack of similar enforcement measures for parental access issues. The disparity…
The Alienation Shortcut
When abuse records and alienation claims collide, courts have to decide what evidence matters. New laws are trying to force judges to review the record — but almost nobody reviews the judges.
The Ledger Nobody Kept: What COVID-Era Guidance Did to Custody
The pandemic's impact on custody and family courts has been significant yet largely unquantified, as seen in the backlog of cases and the misuse of COVID-19 as a pretext in custody disputes. This situation was exacerbated by inconsistent court operations…
The Missing Variable
Father absence significantly predicts juvenile crime in America, with evidence showing boys from fatherless homes are disproportionately involved in delinquency and violence. Despite the clear link demonstrated by decades of research, structural issues,…