COURT ORDERS THAT KILL -- NO 'JUDGE CONTROL' IN VIRGINIA

[BMCC IV] 2007 TRUTH COMMISSION. There is a crisis in the custody court system, which has resulted in thousands of children being sent to live with abusers while safe, protective parents, primarily mothers, are denied any meaningful relationship with their children. The court system has failed to respond appropriately to domestic violence and child abuse cases involving custody. The Commission found many common errors made by the courts and the professionals they rely upon which contribute to these tragedies ...

From: Veronique Wyvell
To: seema.zeya@fairfaxcounty.gov
Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2006 11:57 AM
Attach: ncjfcj JAFFE.pdf; ncjfcj FARNEY.pdf; ncjfcj DALTON.pdf; FamilyLawReformVirginia2006.pdf
Subject: Seeking Support Group

Dear Ms. Zeya ~

I was downloading Fairfax County's very nice Network Against Family Abuse (NAFA) Domestic Violence Handbook this morning when I noticed your name on the webpage and thought I would share a few of my thoughts on certain domestic violence issues that are close to my heart.

There are many many things Fairfax County does well and so ... I am shocked ... we can count on our courts to fail us in family law matters that involve domestic abuse and child custody. My original intent in writing you was to ask about the existence of any support groups to assist victims of courtroom and judicial abuses. I think I have just put you "on the spot," but please understand that we mothers find ourselves "in a terrible spot."

We need a support group in northern Virginia for good mothers who have lost their children to spousal/child abusers. My friends and me are good mothers who have been victimized by judges, custody evaluators, and, too often, the lawyers we hire to help us, yes, here in Fairfax and neighboring counties. We see bias, we see greed, we see child custody practitioners (judges, lawyers, evaluators, gals) poorly skilled in child custody law, and we see very little of our children once custody goes to the father. For many many mother-victims-of-domestic-abuse, enforcing visitation and access is very nearly impossible when children reside with fathers who are violent, abusive, and dangerously controlling men.

We need better public awareness of the issues that are raised in the new, October 2005, Tatge/Lasseur documentary film for PBS, "BREAKING THE SILENCE: Children's Stories," for example.

Therefore, we would like for our state and local domestic violence groups to host community viewings of "BREAKING THE SILENCE: Children's Stories" because it is our story too. We would like the involvement of our policy-makers (Senators Puller, Howell & Saslaw who sit on our Senate Courts of Justice Committee). They have been showing us their backs on these issues, as though we mothers are delusional. Well, if we are delusional, we are not alone. See the film. And see the abundance of research in the contents of my "Family Law Reform" attachment with this email.

I close by saying those in denial are delusional.

WE NEED for the leaders of your various DV agencies and DV offices to get together to decide which one of you will address the interaction of domestic violence and child custody in litigated custody trials in Virginia courtrooms -- and the implications for Virginia judges deciding child custody disputes where domestic abuse is a factor. And the research is clear: Domestic abuse is present in nearly all disputed child custody cases that require court intervention. Yesterday, I sent Becky Mckenzie, of [Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance], the three (3) NCJFCJ articles that are also attached here for your benefit (I will copy Ms. McKenzie on this message).

Thank you for considering this. I am,

Very truly yours,

Veronique Wyvell, RN
7831 Enola Street, #TA7
McLean, Virginia 22102
703.748.0072

MAUL (Mothers Against Unjust Law) Goals:
Rebuttable PRESUMPTIONS Against Custody for Batterers
PPAs (Parenting Plan Agreements) before Litigation
Moratorium on CCEs (Child Custody Evaluations)
MINIMUM Parent-Time Schedules (UTAH Code)
JURY Trials (in Domestic Relations Cases)
PROTECTIVE Parent Reform Acts
DIGITAL Courtroom Records
ALI's Approximation Rule
TERM LIMITS for Judges