What You’re Missing This Father’s Day
In a heartfelt letter, Michael Phillips expresses his pain over being denied contact with his son, Dylan, due to ongoing parental conflicts with his mother, Christina Avgerinos. Despite a court order granting visitation on Father's Day and throughout the…
What the Flowers Don’t Know
This Mother's Day, many parents silently endure the heartache of parental alienation, where children become estranged due to manipulation. Family courts often overlook or exacerbate this process, leaving targeted parents marginalized and powerless. The…
A Child’s Right to Both Parents Is Not Seasonal
Family courts often adjust parenting time rules during the holidays, impacting children's relationships with both parents. This series highlights procedural failures that undermine children's rights to consistent parental presence. It argues that lost…
“We’ll Fix It in January”: How Delay Becomes Denial
The article discusses how delays in family court custody cases negatively impact children, emphasizing that postponing access harms relationships and normalizes absence. Courts often treat delays as neutral, but they inherently favor the party…
The Quietest House of the Year
The piece by Michael Phillips reflects on the profound silence experienced by families unable to celebrate Christmas due to family court delays. It emphasizes how such failures impact children deeply, leaving them to grapple with absence and broken…
The Holiday “Reasonableness” Trap: How Courts Let Compromise Replace Court Orders
Michael Phillips discusses how family courts encourage flexibility during holidays, leading to a detrimental shift from enforceable rights to vague accommodations. Such changes often result in unilateral modifications and normalization of non-compliance.…
Two Years Without a Parent — and a Christmas Denial That Says Everything About Family Court Enforcement
Michael Phillips reveals his two-year struggle with denied parenting time despite a standing court order from Montgomery County. He highlights systemic failures within the family court system, emphasizing that when court orders remain unenforced,…
Holiday Smiles, Closed Doors: When a Parent Performs Peace While Erasing the Other Parent
The article discusses the complexities of parental access during the holidays, highlighting how family courts often misinterpret courteous behavior as compliance. It critiques performative co-parenting, where one parent denies access while maintaining a…
What Happens When a Parent Follows the Court Order — and the Court Refuses to Enforce It?
Family courts promise to protect children's relationships with both parents, yet enforcement often fails, leading to significant family disruptions. Many compliant parents face ignored motions and lack of communication enforcement, fostering unilateral…