Family Court, General

Celebrity Lawyer Mark Geragos: Family Court Driven by Money, Not Justice

06/20/2023·

Frank Parlato

Famous Attorney Exposes Dark Secrets of Family Court

But it isn’t going to make him very popular with his bottom-feeding brethren…

Mark John Geragos, 65, is a criminal defense lawyer in Los Angeles, the managing partner of Geragos and Geragos, founded by Mark and his late father, Paul, in 1983.

Mark has represented many notable clients, including:

Whitewater’s Susan McDougal

NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield

Convicted murderer Scott Peterson

Kesha

Clare Bronfman

Actress Winona Ryder

Singer Michael Jackson

Roger Clinton Jr., President Clinton’s brother

Actor Keith Carradine

Greg Anderson, the personal trainer of baseball player Barry Bonds

Cameron Brown, who was convicted of murdering his four-year-old daughter by throwing her off a cliff

Victor Willis, the Village People’s frontman

Japanese businessman Kazuyoshi Miura

Rapper Chris Brown

Former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick

Actor Jussie Smollett

Basketball player Scottie Pippen

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez

Geragos also appears as a guest and legal commentator on shows such as the Today Show, Good Morning America, 60 Minutes, Anderson Cooper 360°, On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren, Larry King Live, CNN, and does a weekly podcast with Adam Carolla.

Geragos appeared on News Nation last week in connection with the purported suicide of Catherine Kassenoff.

https://frankreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Mark-Geragos-on-Banfield-Family-Court-short.mp4

Here is what he said about family court.

Mark Geragos:

My father used to call the family law courts, the battle of the perjuries.

There is a very insular, incestuous system. One of the problems is in family court, you don’t get a jury. The judge decides everything.

You have a system. I always say they’ve only got about 10 moves. And the 10 moves involve basically liquidating your assets, everybody who’s there, until you have no more assets, and then you get to a settlement that you probably could have gotten to in a mediated setting to begin with.

If you add in custody issues, the case goes on forever. It just escalates to a point where you can’t see straight.

It’s one of the reasons I think I’ve done one family law case in 40 years, and I would never do another.

I’ve got friends who go through this all the time.

I will sit and counsel them that “It makes no sense. Why are you fighting over the money? Why are you fighting over the assets? These are your, basically, your heirs. And all you’re doing is putting your lawyers’ heirs through college, or putting your lawyers’ heirs through law school, when you should be saving those assets and mediate.”

It doesn’t matter.

You can talk to somebody you’re close to, who is seemingly rational, and they just default.

And they get fed and pumped up [by the family law attorneys], you know, to some degree.

I have this fight with family law lawyers that I’m close to all the time.

I tell them that you’re not doing the client any service by telling them, “I need more information. I need a forensic. I need a psych. I need this. I need that. And that whole coterie of experts that surrounds it.”

The Family Court Family

Making Money Off Divorce and Custody

Family law attorneys for husband and wife

Attorneys for children

Guardians ad litem

Forensic mental health professionals

Case-blind didactic experts

One-sided evaluators

Work-product reviewers

Testifying consultants

Non-testifying consultants

Therapeutic psychologists

Forensic psychologists

Supervised visitation monitors

Therapists for the family

Therapists for the child

Therapists for the parent

Therapists providing information to the evaluator

Social workers

FR Artwork

From time to time, Frank Report accepts art from various artists, and one of our art critics will give readers insight into the themes presented.

Artist Samuel Reynolds’

“The Custody Evaluator”

Samuel Reynolds’ “The Custody Evaluator” is a thought-provoking oil painting that delves into the custody evaluation process in family court. He reveals the perspicacious faces of a fictional evaluator whose work finances family lawyers, attorneys for children, and the grand cast of court actors who benefit from this lucrative profession.

Reynolds skillfully portrays the fictional evaluator, Abraham Marks, whose pursuit of the American dream pushes ethical boundaries and is driven by his desire to provide for his family of family court professionals.

This figure, depicted with realism and meticulous attention to detail, captures the evaluator’s sharp gaze and his ability to prioritize his own interests under the guise of determining the best interests of others.

Using a vibrant color palette, Reynolds sets a contemplative tone. The mid-hues of the paintings symbolize the self-interest that permeates the evaluator’s actions, while shadows and contrasts enhance the underlying tension within the artwork.

With deft brushwork, Reynolds brings to life the referral-dependent cupid nature of the evaluator, guided by the guardian ad litem and family law attorneys. This highlights the practicality of the evaluator, rather than an impossible commitment to impartiality which no human possesses.

The canvas becomes a battleground where the protective parent, unaware of the system’s workings, naively seeks justice and is thrust into a chaotic struggle against the affluent but abusive parent.

“The Evaluator” prompts a custody question about the intelligence of those without the financial means to purchase custody, who believe justice will determine the fate of their children in family court.

Reynolds calls attention to the economic benefit of children being transferred to the custody of the abuser, who is willing to pay for desired outcomes in court.

Reynolds skillfully employs his brushwork to explore the benefits derived from the commodification of lost children, emphasizing that those who can afford to purchase custody are better positioned to impart their values to the child.

Through “The Evaluator,” Reynolds reminds us of the prevailing influence of economic interests in family court, overshadowing the subjective mutable needs of children. The welfare of children is subject to change, while the financial gains of family court actors remain constant.

Disclaimer: The artist, Samuel Reynolds, created a fictional character in his painting, and it does not necessarily reflect the views or experiences of real-life individuals.

Comments (36)

Add Your Comment

court news06/20/2023

While he is correct, and while there is an Attorney fees statue Family Code 2030, 7605, most of the time the amount granted hardly equals the playing field.

Anonymous06/20/2023

No sh^t Sherlock. Who are you and why do you post such nonsense?

court news06/20/2023

No, you idiot, I do know what I'm talking about you idiot.

Anonymous06/21/2023

Remember this sign officially posted today: [ Please Don’t Feed The Trolls ]

Anonymous06/20/2023

I can't even begin to say how much I appreciate hearing this video I was raped in family court

Anonymous06/20/2023

Cesspool leeches seem to all congregate in family court

Paige Bluhdorn06/20/2023

YES

What kind of governments toss children and families to the wolves? 🤔06/21/2023

No offense to the good family law people here. They’ve probably heard it, too. Many call family law attorneys “bottom feeders” — and refer to family court judges as those who can’t handle more significant cases.

Anonymous06/20/2023

I am so happy that someone from the legal profession finally spoke out about this. I really enjoyed his interview. Especially the part where he said he'd rather represent criminals than family cases. I tried so hard to be civil with my ex-spouse but parental alienation was claimed and a 5 year battle ensued ending 1.5 years ago. Two months after the now final order was put in place during a co-parenting session my ex-spouse said they were never alienated during a co-parenting counseling session. This didn't help with any of the trauma myself and our child were put through and I am still paying the hefty court fees. This message may not be for everyone but when you can be civil with your spouse these courts don't care about your children. You are putting all of their children through college. They will play off any dysfunction. In the end my ex told me that I won and that was the difference between my ex-spouse and I. I don't think I won anything. Our child will group up with two parents that only communicate via email and that hurts me because I didn't grow up that way. In the end our child is who lost but unfortunately that is not a message that a vindictive person will ever understand.

What do the “rated Best Lawyers of 2022” have to say about corruption in family courts?06/20/2023

Is Mark Geragos the only honest lawyer brave enough to say those things in public?

Anonymous06/20/2023

https://luthmann.substack.com/p/ct-family-court-condones-bogus-abuse?publication_id=391096&post_id=128379156&isFreemail=false

Heroes 🥇🥈🥉06/22/2023

Heroes taking risks and stepping forward to protect children is the way America used to be. The more good people step forward right now, the quicker the public will understand the need for massive investigations, and reforms. Mainstream media news outlets (as usual lately) are asleep or look the other way on purpose. … “I want to see justice run its course. Child predators sicken me, and my opinion is this situation is as nasty as it gets,” Luthmann said. Luthmann said Connecticut law enforcement already possesses the shocking evidence he has seen. “I told the Collier County Sheriff’s Office that if what I have evidence happening in Ambrose’s house in Connecticut happened in Southwest Florida, people would already be behind bars. But things are different up in Connecticut, I guess,” he said. Luthmann’s biggest concern was Ambrose’s use of law enforcement to attack free speech and the press.”… https://luthmann.substack.com/p/christopher-ambroses-desperate-measures

Anonymous06/20/2023

For those who have never experienced “family courts”: “Family courts” are that nightmarishly dystopian. The courtrooms are crime scenes.

Anonymous06/20/2023

He is exactly right. Hoping others will listen and stop blaming “high conflict” couples and “disgruntled litigants”.

Anonymous06/20/2023

Ummmm, how much do we think FP makes from this blog? Or that creepy tik tok guy who’s exploiting the suffering of this family for likes? Does that not offend anyone?

A bet zero06/20/2023

How much does your blog make?

Anonymous06/21/2023

—A bet zero How much do you make a year? I bet less than I do. You don’t get a salary—you get payed hourly. I bet you shop at Walmart and when you splurge it’s Target all the way.

I bet zero and won06/21/2023

Betting would not be in your favor then. You're 100 percent wrong.

Anonymous06/20/2023

https://luthmann.substack.com/p/ct-family-court-condones-bogus-abuse?publication_id=391096&post_id=128379156&isFreemail=false

Anonymous06/20/2023

This gentleman is spot on about the family courts.

✅06/21/2023

Absolutely.

Ridiculous Guy06/21/2023

Why do divorces take so long? It’s because the spouses don’t understand a divorce is 50/50 – the spouses split everything 50/50. Everyone wants more! End of story. \\\\\ Look at the divorcé whackos the Frank Report has covered thus far. That’s why divorces take so long. Duh!!!!!! /////////////

Ridiculous courts need common sense.06/21/2023

Dear Mr. Guy, What do family court lawyers and evaluators do to make a few judges spend four years to grant one lousy divorce? The Kassenoffs would have been better off with the local butcher, baker and candlestick maker dividing the finances, property, time with the children and holidays 50/50. Four years ago, one simple 12-line document would have avoided all that horrible trauma and loss. … The get is a 12-line document written in Aramaic. The requirements for a get include that the document be presented by a husband to his wife. The essential part of the get is a very short declaration: “You are hereby permitted to all men”. The effect of the get is to free the woman from the marriage, and consequently she is free to marry another and that the laws of adultery no longer apply. The get also returns to the wife the legal rights that a husband held in regard to her. … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_(divorce_document)

Pilgrim06/21/2023

Family courts are the #1 offenders of child-trafficking in the world. Some judges have literally given child-rapists custody of their underage rape victims.

K.R. Claviger06/21/2023

Mark Geragos is 100% spot-on with respect to his description of Family Court – and the attorneys who regularly practice there. Many attorneys will not even consider taking a Family Court case because of the incestuous nature of the many people who earn their living by dragging out divorces and by encouraging their clients to use no-holds-barred tactics when there are minor children involved.

Bloomberg News today ...06/22/2023

“… Markets JPMorgan Mistakenly Deleted 47 Million Records, SEC Alleges Bank to pay $4 million to settle allegations by regulator SEC says deleted records were requested in several probes …”

... also not The Onion:06/23/2023

“… ‘Hunter was a member at Snctm and I canceled his membership after 1 party because he’s a scumbag,’ Lawner wrote in a since-deleted post …” https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2023-06-21/snctm-sex-club-founder-banned-after-naming-hunter-biden-as-member

Anonymous06/27/2023

Cordell and Cordell. One of the worst. Legal tactics and mandatory filing every few months for billing purposes. One of the most no holes bar group of attorneys. Aggressive legal tactics to paint women in a bad light. Offices all over the country. Big business to snatch children away from mother's. Smear campaign against women. Laughing all the way to the bank at the expense of children.