Entries by Lary Holland

RADAR: Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting. Despite the best of intentions, our nation's effort to curb domestic violence is not working. Current solutions not only fail to reduce domestic violence, but also create other severe problems. Families are being undermined and children harmed. Innocent Americans are penalized based on false accusations. And victims of violence are re-victimized by a rigid system that ignores their wishes, or excludes them altogether.

Alan Karmin joined host Lary Holland on Get Off The Bench on October 1, 2008 to discuss Domestic Violence Awareness Month, RADAR, raising the evidentiary standards on Personal Protection Orders, and many other necessary changes to the Domestic Violence Programs in the United States.

To listen or download this Episode of Get Off The Bench.

Information about Alan Karmin:

Alan Karmin is an award-winning writer and published author. In his latest work, The Measure of a Man. The Measure of a Man, Alan documents his odyssey going up against an unfriendly family court system after being falsely accused of domestic violence by his ex-wife.

Honored by the New Jersey State Legislature for “Praiseworthy Determination and Spirit,” he has been an active board member of the Family Support Organization of Union County, New Jersey Council for Children’s Rights, Safe Harbor Child Access Centers and RADAR (Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting).

An expert in management and building of non-profit organizations, Alan is the Executive Director of Literacy Volunteers of Somerset County, as well as Director of the New Jersey Alliance for Family Support Organizations. He has also held titles as Executive Director of Development of Easter Seals New Jersey, the Tri-County Chapter of the American Red Cross and Bloomfield College .

Alan graduated from the University of Miami , Coral Gables , Florida with a degree in Communications. A resident of Westfield , New Jersey , he is a single father with sole custody of his two children.

About the Episode. Discussions ranging from the Violence Against Women Act, the Landmark New Jersey Case Crespo v. Crespo, Fix Vawa Now, and False Allegations of Domestic Violence hurting real victims.

You can vote on the article at current.com.

http://current.com/items/89364441_false_domestic_violence_allegations_hurt_real_victimes_alan_karmin_on_get_off_the_bench

The Harvard Law Record, Harvard Law School's Independent Newspaper Since 1946, published an article on their website today titled "Alec Baldwin Takes on Family Law."

There were some talking points in the article that I definitely had to agree with. In fact, Alec Baldwin proposed a new default rule for custody procedings. It makes perfect sense to raise the evidentiary standard and add the presumption listed below to keep petty arguments from ever reaching and congesting our courts.

"He called for a presumption of innocence, and a standard of shared, 50-50 custody - unless a party could prove something fundamentally wrong with the parenting skills of the other."

Can't say I could disagree with that Baldwin's comments there. I would take it as far as they do in other forms of proceedings involving the protection of children which would provide "best efforts for reunification" in the event that a flaw was identified. This would protect the rights of parents to be the caretakers of their own children. Government oversight should be a limited oversight when it comes to our families. If there is a problem, help a family get through the problem. Don't pit parent against parent in an all out war where the children and property of the parties is the prize.

Baldwin had no less harsh criticism for judges, whom, Baldwin believed, whether appointed or elected, made decisions based on political pressure. Most of the latitude within the courts, he continued, belonged to powerful law firms. The role of money was powerful in divorce cases, he said, observing that cases were made to drag on much longer than necessary because of the obstacles presented by wealthy couples' lawyers.

To Baldwin, the lack of oversight that ordinary people could exercise over law meant that the legal system looked like "a game two lawyers play ¦if a guy cuts another guy's throat, and he wins, it's a game. Nothing that looks or smells like justice," Baldwin concluded, "walks into an American courtroom anymore."

I would encourage people to go and read the entire article at the HL Record and draw your own conclusions. The important thing is that people are talking about this stuff on a more regular basis and now it is time to begin dismantling an industry that otherwise is encouraging the breakdown of parent-child relationships nationwide. Simply put, parental rights must be respected and protected by all, including judges, legislators, and especially other parents. Children deserve to have the love, care, and affection of both parents.

Original Article Source:

http://media.www.hlrecord.org/media/storage/paper609/news/2008/10/02/News/Alec-Baldwin.Takes.On.Family.Law-3465467.shtml

Ohio NBC 4 Contines Updates on Fathers 4 Justice Crane Protest. There have been unconfirmed reports that police agencies may be mobilizing to take the crane by force to remove Donald Tenn, the last remaining father from a Crane in Columbus Ohio.

Paul Fisher was arraigned earlier this morning after climbing down from the Crane Monday evening for Felony Vandalism, under the accusation that bolt cutters may have been used to gain entry to the crane site where two Fathers 4 Justice members climbed atop a 100ft Crane.

According to Ohio Revised Code 2909.05 under Section (E) the applicable Felony could a be fourth or fifth degree offense brought against the protesters. These technicalities affect the severity of punishment. Along with other overriding provisions of ORC 2929.11 there can be a fine of up to $2500.00.

According to Ohio Revised Code 2909.11 pertaining to felony sentencing ..."The overriding purposes of felony sentencing are to protect the public
from future crime by the offender and others and to punish the offender. To achieve those purposes, the sentencing court shall consider the need for incapacitating the offender, deterring the offender and others from future crime, rehabilitating the offender, and making restitution to the victim of the offense, the public, or both."

Additionally, no matter the outcome of either trial, a conviction, or restitution assignment, nothing in these statutes prohibit the bringing of a civil action for additional damages against any of the alleged suspects or their associates which has been expressly preserved in the Ohio Revise Code under pertinent and numerous sections.

Two quotes come to mind immediately after reading some of the information are these: "In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act" according to George Orwell, but that is quickly followed up by the philosophy of Voltaire in his statement that "It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong."

NBC 4 News Coverage - Day 3 for 2 Dads on a Crane: http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/news.apx.-content-articles-CMH-2008-09-29-0025.html

NBC 4 News Coverage - Down to One Dad On a Crane: http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/news.apx.-content-articles-CMH-2008-09-30-0010.html

Family Court Reports Previous Blog Entries on Fathers 4 Justice News Stories for the past week:

Ohio NBC 4 News Covers Fathers 4 Justice: http://www.familycourtreports.com/serendipity/archives/540-Ohio-NBC-4-Covers-Fathers-4-Justice.html

Take a Look At This on WDEF - CBS Covers Fathers 4 Justice: http://www.familycourtreports.com/serendipity/archives/541-Take-a-Look-At-This-on-WDEF-CBS-Covers-Fathers-4-Justice.html

Stay tuned at Family Court Reports as more official information is released. There is no question that we need investigations into how our government has been conducting themselves at various levels and where the government fails to act hopefully our press steps up to the challenge.

WDEF confirms and gets the story right. "Two superheroes protest for PARENTAL RIGHTS." After confirming this story WDEF (CBS) briefly covers the story that NBC 4 covered earlier. The also have some video exerpts that aired earlier today.

You can view the story and the video with WDEF (CBS Ohio) by visiting the links below:

STORY LINK: http://wdef.com/news/take_a_look_at_this/09/2008_10

VIDEO LINK: http://wdef.com/video/take_a_look_at_this/09/2008_10

CBS News in the Tennessee Valley is a CNN Affiliate and if people contact the tipline at CNN and let them know, there is a possibility that it will get a blip on National Media. Act quick. Time is short for our superheroes.

Send thank you notes to the CBS Tennessee:

Phone: (423) 785-1200
Fax: (423) 785-1271

WDEF News 12
3300 Broad Street
Chattanooga, TN 37408

Contact News
news@wdef.com

You can contact CNN by following these links:

Do an independent IREPORT: http://www.cnn.com/ireport/

Send an email to CNN by sending emails to newstips@cnn.com

Keep up to date on the Fathers 4 Justice Coverage at http://www.familycourtreports.com/serendipity/

NBC 4 in Ohio recently covered a developing story with Fathers 4 Justice. Two Fathers 4 Justice members are camped on top of a 100ft crane near Ohio State University with a banner that states "Stop the War on Fatherhood."

A link to the story can be found here: http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/news.apx.-content-articles-CMH-2008-09-29-0002.html

According to the article:

"The fathers said they will come down when the governors from both
states agree to a non-partisan investigation into the family court
system in their respective states."

In the words of my father "I hope they packed a lunch." Groups and even some legislators have been calling for investigations in the improprieties of family courts for years.

If you have additional information about the developing story or want to convey your personal comments to Ohio NBC 4, you can contact them directly.

Newsdesk: stories@nbc4i.com and Laurie Omness: lomness@wcmh.com. If you would like your comments heard, you can submit your statements to laryholland@familycourtreports.com and they will be added to this alert.

One of my favorite sites out there on the Internet "Protein Wisdom" posted a link to our Current TV spot from the Michigan Equal Parenting Rally. Their website boasts a large national audience and people are seeing whole-heartedly what Michigan Leadership is doing to the Michigan Family. I tend to agree with the Michigan Taxpayer Association that Speaker of the House Andy Dillon should indeed be recalled. Michigan State Representative John Stahl is quoted in summary that "Speaker Dillon believes that your children are all wards of the state."

Current.Com (Current TV) Spot: House Leadership Stalls Protection of Parental Rights.
http://current.com/items/89346296_michigan_house_leadership_stalls_protection_of_parental_rights

Protein Wisdom: “First they raise your taxes and now they want to raise your children.” http://proteinwisdom.com/pub/?p=1775

Original Post Story Regarding the Speakers is located at Lary Holland's Blog: http://www.familycourtreports.com/serendipity/archives/538-Michigan-Equal-Parenting-Rally-Legislators-are-Ready-to-Press-the-Button.html

Be sure to contact your State Legislator and let them know that your children are not wards of the state and that your right to direct the care, education, and upbringing rests with you and not the politicians. You can use the following contact sheet to call every one of the State Legislators and "tell them to stop allowing House Leadership to Stall House Joint Resolution NN." Just two to five minutes of your day can make a difference for Parental Rights everywhere.