The Divorce Industry Benefits at the Expense of Families, Says Constitutional and Civil Rights Activist Peter Szymonik”
By Peter Szymonik
Constitutional and Civil Rights Activist
It was most interesting hearing the commentary at the Judiciary Committee hearing on January 22, 2025.
We admire Sen. Winfield’s leadership as a non-attorney; however, the closed and insular nature of the judicial review and reappointment process in this state is a significant concern. Additionally, the fact that the public is given less than three days’ notice of these hearings is a serious issue.
The fact that nearly all hearing time is co-opted by attorneys and bar associations, who operate in and profit from the operational dysfunction and “good ole boys and girls club” is a serious problem.
It’s no surprise that these horrific and sociopathic “family” court judges are treated with kid’s gloves and handed softball questions when they are being questioned by divorce attorneys who had or have cases before them. (One could only imagine if they could be questioned by the parents and children whose lives they destroyed).
State Representative Thomas O’Dea serves the 125th Connecticut House District.
Rep. Tom O’Dea did us great service by illustrating that despite all the complaints made against the judges who appeared before the Judiciary Committee ‘all’ of them were dismissed. Every complaint, no matter how egregious, is ignored and dismissed by those who are supposed to hold our judges accountable for gross misconduct and violations of our rights and laws.
Not a single complaint upheld, or complaint acted on by the Judicial Review Committee.
Because judges in this state can simply do no wrong.
State Rep. Osborne has a private Facebook group of CT divorce attorneys who discuss pending legislation.
Rep. Melissa Osborne, a divorce attorney who seems intent on rolling the clock back to 1975, let it slip that she moderates a private Facebook page of CT divorce attorneys. Where they apparently discuss pending legislation. What possible agenda can they have? Apart from prolonging cases and promoting conflict to increase their revenues.
I invite her to invite me to this group and respectfully ask her to disclose if other legislators are part of her private Facebook page, and if any judges participate in this page. In addition to “therapists”, “Guardian ad Litems” or any other state “family” court vendors and actors.
Regarding her comments about alimony, a relic of the distant past, she may find this site helpful: Connecticut Alimony Guide – Alimony Laws, Amounts, and Duration
Rep. Matt Blumenthal repeated the disgusting Divorce Industry narrative and falsehood that “someone has to lose in a divorce.” No representative, they do not. Not if our state came out of the Dark Ages and made shared and equal parenting a standard, which 34 other states have done to one degree or another. With positive results. But there is no money to be made if there is no conflict to encourage and promote.
Connecticut Earns and F as rated by the National Parents Organization.
Connecticut ranks DEAD LAST in family court reform, and parental rights.
Grade F. NPO Child Support and Shared Parenting Report Card | Tableau Public
Senator Mae Flexer
Sen. Mae Flexer repeated the unsubstantiated myth that “1/3 of all divorce cases involve DV.” No Senator, they do not. The actual problem is the extension of DV to areas where it does not belong. And continuing to believe that our broken and corrupt “family” courts are the proper venue for criminal claims, when they are not. Because they are not courts of evidence or law, solely equity. Follow the flow of federal dollars.
Senator John Kissel
Judge Barry Armata
Sen. John Kissel, after praising his buddy Judge Barry Armata, one of the most notorious and despicable actors in the state “family” court system, raised the concept that our poor judges need raises to do their jobs, and that we need more than 180 judges, is beyond laughable.
Connecticut already has some of the highest paid judges in the country, averaging well over $200,000+/year between salaries and benefits. Operating some of the most operationally dysfunctional court systems in the country.
They don’t need more money and we don’t need more judges. What we need is more judges to protect our fundamental and federally recognized parental rights. What we need is judges who run their courtrooms effectively and to the benefit of the PUBLIC, the state, and most importantly – the parents, children and families who appear before them.
NOT to line the pockets of a very few well-connected divorce attorneys, and state “family” court vendors and actors (i.e. so-called ‘evaluators, ‘therapists’, ‘Guardian ad Litems’, ‘Supervised Visitation Centers’, etc. etc.)
Pray tell, what incentives are we providing “family” court judges and divorce attorneys to resolve cases quickly and effectively? As opposed to the PROFIT motive that drives divorce attorneys and “family” court judges to encourage and promote conflict, false claims of abuse, and unnecessary prolong cases and clog our court dockets?
Didn’t anyone notice and hasn’t anyone questioned how it’s possible that, over the past decade, the Divorce Industry in this country has ballooned from $20 Billion dollars to over $65 Billion dollars in revenues…. while the number of divorces has gone down?
Chief State Court Administrator Elizabeth Bozzuto
Chief State Court Administrator Elizabeth Bozzuto, a jurist who stated in open court that she “didn’t believe due process was that important” as she had me placed in shackles and a holding cell for not paying a millionaire attorney in my case fast enough or to her liking, showed the Judiciary Committee her crocodile tears and false concern that 80% of parents in her “family” courts are Pro Se and ‘without proper legal
representation’.
Because to her, parents are the enemy and the problem. Parents in her “family” courts are all invalid, incapable and gee, just so darn emotional. They’re all in such dire need of her “family” court’s and the state’s “services.”
If only parents could remain calm, as her sociopathic “family” court judges played social experiments with their kid’s and family’s lives.
If only parents just accepted having their children taken from them for no reason or cause, their lives shattered, and their bank accounts, retirement funds and children’s college funds liquidated. Forced to lose their jobs and even be made homeless – all under the threat of being jailed – to line the pockets of millionaire divorce attorneys – everything would be so great! How dare parents complain about her “family” courts? How dare they?
Rep. Craig Fishbein
Rep. Craig Fishbein illustrated how much of a problem this is when it comes to extreme cases that require immediate responses. Rep. Fishbein cited a shock example of a heroin using father shacking up in the basement of his home with his girlfriend while his wife and children lived upstairs. And how awful it was that the mother had to wait months for a motion for exclusive use of the home, even heard by the “family” court.
Two observations Rep. Fishbein. First, you’re absolutely correct. Using heroin is a crime and requires a criminal investigation and criminal complaint. The mother shouldn’t be running to you and the civil “family” court. She should call the police so they can arrest and jail her husband and/or to issue a restraining order against the father.
Second, the extreme scenario you cited is not a norm. A far more common scenario is using a false claim of abuse against a parent to justify having the “family” court criminalize and destroy their lives. Divorce Industry 101. The reason this state is known for horrific cases like the Dulos case, where the divorce attorneys viciously pitted two parents against each other, and Judge Heller played ping-pong with their children and finances.
(It’s worth noting that when Judge Heller came before the Judiciary Committee last year for her reappointment hearing, not a single member of the Judiciary Committee asked her a single question about her mishandling of the Dulos case. Not. One. Question.
Attorney Ed Gavin, the head of the CT BAR Criminal Lawyers Association
When evaluating judges, is it any wonder how attorneys who appear before them and bar associations will rate them? At the hearing, we also had Attorney Ed Gavin, the head of the CT BAR Criminal Lawyers Association, praising Judge Corrine Klatt.
Why would the head of the criminal lawyer’s association be at the hearing singing the praises of a notorious “family” court judge? Perhaps because the Judiciary Committee was presented with evidence that Judge Klatt suppressed evidence of fraud and perjury, violated due process, violated state and federal law, and sanctioned a parent for exercising a First Amendment right. Perhaps the good judge needed a criminal defense
attorney?
If we want honest and impartial reviews, look here – and solicit feedback from the consumers of the public court system’s systems, the PEOPLE of this state.
The Robing Room: CT State Judges
There is perhaps no more important legislative function for a state legislator than to be present and engaged in than the reappointment of our state judges. Judges who enjoy eight-year terms and preside over critical cases that lead the direction of our state in terms of our rights and laws.
34 judges up for reappointment.
Approximately $190,000 per judge per year for salaries. $6,460,000. Approximately $200,000 per year per judge for support staff and services. $6,800,000.
$13,260,000 per year x eight (8) years = $106,080,000.
38 members of the Judiciary Committee.
15 attorney members.
23 non-attorney members.
Number of committee members who attended the January 22 and 24 judicial reappointment hearings: 11
Number of attorney-legislators who attended: 8
Number of attorney-legislators who attended, who are connected and operate in our “family” courts: 4
Number of non-attorney members who attended: 3
Number of days’ notice provided to the public of the reappointment hearings and opportunity to testify: 3
Total number of minutes set aside for public testimony: 24 minutes for 8 members of the public.
Questions asked of the parents who waited years for the opportunity to testify regarding judicial misconduct and violations of rights and laws by judges in their cases: 1
Candid opposition to Armata here.
More pointed Armata opposition here.
Even more Armata opposition here.
Klatt and Murphy opposition from Peter Szymonik here.
Imagine the outrage if this were the level of engagement and opportunity for public input we had on the federal level and regarding nominees for the SCOTUS.
In the not-so-distant past, judges were selected by a panel of six sitting judges and six members of the PUBLIC.
In the not-so-distant past, the Judiciary encouraged non-attorneys and members of the PUBLIC to become judges.
Connecticut is one of the only states, if not the ONLY state, that doesn’t elect our judges.
Instead, we rely on a completely closed and incestuous process where PUBLIC input is trivialized, if not laughed at by those who have co-opted the process to enrich themselves at the expense of the children, parents and families of our state.
The poorly named Constitution State.
UPDATE: Jan 28, 2025
The State of Connecticut Judiciary Committee has FAILED the children, parents and families of this state. Once again.
Once again, the attorney-packed Judiciary Committee simply RUBBER STAMPED horrific “family” court judges back to the bench despite clear evidence and testimony presented before the committee that these rogue judges:
• Completely ignore fundamental rights
• Completely ignore due process of law
• Completely ignore state and federal law
• Completely ignore the federally protected rights of custodial parents
• Allow a very small number of well-connected divorce attorneys to PREY ON and
PROFIT from destroying children and families,
• And in a manner which causes the state to defraud the federal government and its
programs
These rogue judges should have been fully accountable, and should NEVER have been allowed to remain judges by the Judiciary Committee.
Instead, our state taxpayers and families will face another EIGHT YEARS of these nightmare judges at a cost of $1,600,000+ EACH.
If any Democratic member of the committee is dismayed, disgusted or horrified that President Trump is not being held accountable for his violations of law, and yet voted for these nightmare judges, and looked the other way regarding the same violations of rights and law on the part of our state “family” court judges, then respectfully, they are part of the problem we face in this state and country regarding disregard for the “Rule of Law” and hold no moral high ground of any kind.
Every Republican member should be aware that we are bringing this issue to the attention of the White House, and the initial meetings have already been held.
These state legislators all had the opportunity to do the right and just thing – and did not. Shame on all of them.
Shame.
CT Judiciary Committee Rubber Stamps Reappointments
