The Doubt Nobody Defined
The public debate over Lindsay Clancy has focused on guilt, sympathy and postpartum mental illness. But the jury’s deadlock appears to have turned on something narrower: whether one juror was properly applying the court’s reasonable-doubt…
The Prescription Nobody Can Enforce
A West Virginia father's push for timely vaccinations for their children clashes with their mother's vaccine skepticism, leading to custody disputes in family court. The article explores the inadequacies of family court in resolving medical disagreements…
The Statement Nobody Lets Him Give
Massachusetts gives families of homicide victims a formal voice when a defendant is sentenced. But if Lindsay Clancy is found not criminally responsible, Patrick Clancy may enter a very different legal process — one without the same explicit…
The Mitigation Nobody Carries Home
Massachusetts is considering a bill to acknowledge postpartum psychiatric illness as a mitigating factor in criminal cases, allowing for potential resentencing of women convicted without regard for their mental health. However, in family court, mental…
The Training Nobody Requires
California family law judges and attorneys receive training on neurodivergence and its impact in family court; however, critical lessons regarding mental health bias are not mandated. Despite research advocating a link between mental health conditions…
Prepare Yourself to Speak
In Virginia's courtrooms, unaccompanied children often represent themselves due to a lack of legal counsel, especially highlighted after a federal contract lapsed, increasing their vulnerability in immigration and family courts. Both systems inadequately…
The Ones Who Grow Up Inside It: What Happens to Children of Parental Alienation as Adults
Parental alienation profoundly impacts children into adulthood, often leading to low self-esteem, depression, and difficulties in relationships. Research shows adults who experienced this as children face significant emotional challenges and may…
When the Loss Has No Name: What Research Says About Being a Targeted Parent
The article discusses the concept of ambiguous loss, particularly experienced by parents facing parental alienation. This type of grief lacks rituals, leaving parents feeling isolated and unable to properly mourn their relationship with their living…
When “I Wish They Were Gone” Becomes a Blueprint: What the Research Says About Hostility and Parental Alienation
The article by Michael Phillips explores the complexities of parental alienation in family court settings, highlighting the prevalence of hostile parental dynamics and their impact on children. It emphasizes that while parental alienation is common, it…
The Force Multiplier
The family court system overlooks the specific needs of disabled children in custody disputes, failing to recognize how coercive control impacts their well-being. These children face heightened risks of abuse, and current legal reforms neglect their…