Family Court

How Judge Tindill turned CT Family Court Into Debtor’s Prison Jailing Mother When a Simple Court Order Would Have Settled the Finances

08/26/2024·

Frank Parlato

The Jailing of a Mother

On August 14, in the Judicial District of Stamford/Norwalk, at the courthouse for the Regional Family Trial Docket in Middletown, Connecticut, Superior Court Judge Erika Tindill decided to jail a mother for not reimbursing her ex-husband’s attorney’s fees.

On March 6, Judge Tindill ordered Naidoo to pay the father’s attorney Gary I. Cohen of Stamford, Connecticut, $37,512.50, by July 26, 2024. She had not paid.

The father is Vipul Kumar of Bedford, New York. He didn’t want his ex-wife incarcerated.

Representing the mother, Nishani Naidoo, was Karen Zak of Glastonbury, Connecticut. Naidoo lives with their two children, 11 and 14, in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. The divorce and custody case was resolved earlier this year.

The hearing was on August 14, 2024 and began at 11:30 AM.

Excerpts from the transcripts:

THE COURT: … Okay. Ms. Naidoo, how would you like to proceed?…

THE DEFENDANT: … Mr. Cohen’s already been paid $83,539 and an additional 54,000… Your Honor, you simply awarded him $35,000 (more) in legal fees. There was no finding that (her ex husband Kumar) could not pay his fees or that I had caused the additional legal fees.

…

THE COURT: Those arguments sound like what you would be putting in your brief and arguing to the Appellate Court.

THE DEFENDANT: …I am not able to pay those fees, your Honor…

THE COURT: The Court… made a determination that you could, in fact, pay that amount…. This is where you explain to the Court why… I should stay the proceedings (to consider Naidoo’s arrest).

THE DEFENDANT: Your Honor, because I’m not in contempt of your order.

THE COURT:… Not only did I find you in contempt, I ordered you to make a payment that you failed to pay.

THE DEFENDANT:… It is not that I do not want to pay… I offered to pay (Attorney Cohen a partial payment of) $2,500 on my credit card, which is the maximum I could charge.

THE COURT: And did you do that?

THE DEFENDANT: …he said no, you must appear in court to answer to the judge.

THE COURT: So, what stopped you from paying?

THE DEFENDANT: Because he said that he wasn’t going to accept it. He said that he wanted the full payment, he wanted the lump sum payment….

THE COURT: Is there anything else you want to tell me about why I should stay the proceedings?

…

THE DEFENDANT: I’m. I’m, I’m unable to make the payment and I’ve been working really hard to get the money.

THE COURT: Tell me about those efforts.

THE DEFENDANT:… I cannot liquidate any of the retirement accounts, they’re all 401(k)s, and you need a court order… I cannot do that. The only other asset that I have… is the apartment (real estate she obtained in the divorce settlement)…

THE COURT:… What are the other efforts that you have made to comply with the court order…?

THE DEFENDANT: …to sell that apartment as soon as possible….

THE COURT: Is it on the market?

THE DEFENDANT:…- we put it on the market. Within two weeks, we got an offer. I accepted (the offer).

THE COURT: So, you don’t have a closing date?

THE DEFENDANT:…everything is signed…

THE COURT: Other than trying to sell the property, what other efforts have you made to comply with my order?

THE DEFENDANT: I don’t know how else to get money, Your Honor.

THE COURT: Have you asked friends or family to borrow money?

THE DEFENDANT: I have.

THE COURT: Who have you asked?

THE DEFENDANT: I’ve asked my sister, and she’s already lent me a lot of money.

THE COURT: So, she said no?

THE DEFENDANT: She said no.

THE COURT: Who else did you ask?

THE DEFENDANT: I’ve asked several of my friends and…

THE COURT: They all said no?

THE DEFENDANT: Right. Because everyone said that if your apartment’s going to be sold in four weeks, why do we have to lend you the money?

THE COURT: Because the judge told you to pay by a certain date and you don’t have four weeks, that would be the answer.

THE DEFENDANT: So, I don’t have the money, Your Honor.

…

THE COURT: Anything else you want to tell me?

THE DEFENDANT: That I’m trying my best to raise the money and that’s what I asked in my motion for continuance. I said, please give me the time.

THE COURT: And I denied that, yeah

THE DEFENDANT: I know, Your Honor, but I asked you, I begged you.

THE COURT: Yes, and… after you begged me…I denied it. What you don’t seem to understand is that this is a court of law. This is not negotiations…

THE DEFENDANT: I don’t know how to raise $37,000 in a short time frame, Your Honor.

THE COURT (turning to the father’s attorney): Okay. Attorney Cohen, is there anything that you would like to tell the Court…

ATTY. COHEN:… – I believe the defendant’s claim that she cannot access her own 401(k) in the absence of a court order is simply not correct as a matter of law.

THE COURT: I’m aware. …

THE COURT: All right. I presume, Attorney Cohen… that you’re opposing any stay (to slow down the incarceration of the mother).

ATTY. COHEN: Yes, ma’am.

Stamford, CT Attorney Gary I. Cohen

Stamford, CT Attorney Gary I. Cohen…

THE COURT: Did you receive the money from your husband’s retirement accounts that I ordered? …

THE DEFENDANT: I received them, Your Honor. They can only be transferred with a court order. …

THE COURT: Is there anything else you want to tell me regarding the stay? …

THE DEFENDANT: I did everything I could, Your Honor, to get .. the apartment ready for sale as soon as possible, to put it on the market as soon as possible, to get the contract as soon as possible, so that I could get the money as soon as possible to pay (attorney Cohen).

THE COURT:…The Court finds… the defendant has failed… to even make a partial payment, and continues to ask the Court (for) an extension of time which the Court has repeatedly denied… (addressing Naidoo’s attorney) Now, Attorney Zak… why it is that your client should not be incarcerated today for failure to abide by my orders?

…

Karen Zak thanked the judge profusely and repeatedly for her good offices.

Naidoo was sworn by the clerk:

ATTY. ZAK: Ms. Naidoo, what is your current work situation?

A: I am unemployed.

Q: Up until this week where were you employed?

A: At Stuart B. Ratner, P.C.

…

Q: And you have an email between yourself and Attorney Cohen, correct?

A: I… I sent him an email in May… where I told him that I would pay him as soon as the apartment (is sold). … And rather than responding to that, he filed a motion for contempt…. And then (I) offered to pay him $2,500, which is the maximum I could charge on my credit card and (pay) the rest as soon as the apartment sale closed.

ATTY. ZAK: … what else have you done to try to raise funds or make payments to Attorney Cohen or to the plaintiff?

A: I’ve asked friends and family… And I’ve done everything I could to sell the apartment as soon as possible. I’ve done everything in my power to list it as soon as possible. I accepted whatever the first offer was. And I’ve done everything in my power to get the money so that I can pay this … I have $46 in my bank account and I have lost my job….

THE COURT: Attorney Zak, any other questions? I heard her the first five times she told me that.

ATTY. ZAK: – I just have one, maybe two more questions, Your Honor.

ATTY. ZAK: And so your understanding is that this condo, this apartment, is under contract?

A: Yes.

Q: Okay. And does it have any sort of anticipated closing date on the contract?

A: They want to close after Labor Day. (Three weeks from the court date)

…

ATTY. ZAK: I don’t have anything further, Your Honor. …

THE COURT: Attorney Cohen, do you have any questions for Ms. Naidoo?

ATTY. COHEN (he had no questions just a desire for her incarceration) … The time for compliance is over…. The defendant has retirement accounts upon which under federal law she may borrow up to $50,000. And since COVID rules were enacted, I believe she has up to five years to repay it.

THE COURT (agreeing): Under the CARES Act.

ATTY. COHEN: She can pay it (back) when she sells the apartment… She can tap into her retirement accounts right now for up to $50,000 which would give her immediate liquidity to cure her defaults owed to the plaintiff.

THE COURT: Well, she hasn’t said this, but I presume for reasons unknown to me that Ms. Naidoo has chosen not to do that. …

ATTY. ZAK asking Naidoo:

Q: In regards to taking a loan against the 401(k), have you attempted to do that?

A: Yes. They said I couldn’t. …

ATTY. COHEN (not interested in having anything on the record that might slow down the incarceration): Objection, Your Honor, that’s obvious hearsay.

THE WITNESS: Well, I did try to, but I was not allowed to. I did not –

…

THE COURT (uninterested in any delay): Okay. Ms. Naidoo, anything else you want to tell me?

THE DEFENDANT: I am trying to pay.

THE COURT: Anything different you want to tell me?

THE DEFENDANT: I am doing everything I can to pay, Your Honor.

THE COURT: That’s not different, ma’am. That’s not different. I heard you the first six times you told me that. Is there anything different that you haven’t told me already that you want to tell me about why I should not incarcerate you for failing to obey my order?

THE DEFENDANT: Because I have tried everything I can, Your Honor. And if there is something you think that I haven’t tried I am happy to try it.

THE COURT (ignoring that Attorney Cohen refused to take her partial payment) :… the defendant has failed to pay even a partial payment. She continues to have the ability to pay… (ordering her arrest) So I commit you, Ms. Naidoo, to the Commissioner of Correction. You will have a cash purge… of $15,000.

(A cash purge in CT Family Court is an amount of money that a person must pay to be released from jail after being held in contempt of court for failing to pay child support. It was somewhat novel to use it for pay for an attorney’s legal fees.)

The COURT: We need to set down a purge review date …. Attorney Zak, your — and Attorney Cohen, your availability…

ATTY. COHEN (concerned about the $125 his client had to pay for an Uber to get to court and desirous of making sure Naidoo paid it): Your Honor, may I also ask if Your Honor would consider an order that the plaintiff, who as you know, is not permitted to drive… may be made whole (by Naidoo) for the cost of his having to get to court in connection with the defendant’s default…

As the Marshal stood by waiting to handcuff, and shackle Naidoo, Judge Tindill turned her attention to Kumar’s Uber costs, which after dues deliberations were determined to be $125 round trip.

Naidoo’s attorney interrupted:

ATTY. ZAK: Your Honor … is the Court inclined to stay incarceration for one week for Ms. Naidoo to bring in…

THE COURT: Nope.

ATTY. ZAK: Thank you.

THE COURT: I am not. She has had plenty of time.

ATTY. ZAK: Thank you…

THE COURT (adding to Naidoo’s purge the $125 it cost Kumar to Uber, the judge added) Mr. Kumar would not have incurred that expense had Ms. Naidoo complied. So, that will be (included in) the cash purge amount. …

ATTY. COHEN (lathering up the record and buttering up the judge): And, Your Honor, my client… aware that this is the mother of his two children (is) concerned about her incarceration, but I’ve explained to him that Your Honor is protecting the dignity of your office and the dignity of your orders, this is not personal with him.

Judge Tindill

THE COURT (seemingly reveling):…Mr. Kumar, we have gone through this process. You have paid an attorney… I’ve spent time looking at evidence and I issued a ruling. … Court orders will be followed. So, this is…not something the Court revels in doing, this is something that has to be done for the integrity of the system. You understand, Mr. Kumar?

THE PLAINTIFF: Yes, I, I understand.

…

ATTY. COHEN: Will Your Honor permit Mr. Kumar to address you?

THE COURT: Sure….

THE PLAINTIFF (concerned about the caretaking of his children) …, I completely respect the integrity of the Court… Are there other options (other than jailing the mother) like just issuing a court order directly to have the money transferred (from the retirement account) or something to that effect?

THE COURT (declining to issue an order to permit the retirement account funds to pay an opposing party’s legal fees). Sir, I’ve issued an order (for Naidoo to pay)…. and the deadline was months ago, and there were lots of options for Ms. Naidoo to comply. Ms. Naidoo wants to do what she wants to do, she’s going to comply with the order when she feels like it, that’s not how this works. … This whole system is set up for a reason…

ATTY. ZAK: Your Honor, my client… does not have (a) care (taker) for her children. Mr. Kumar is not able to drive, so she’s –

THE COURT: He’s able to get a driver.

ATTY. ZAK… Your Honor,… she’s concerned about the care for her children…

THE COURT (to Naidoo):… Now you’re concerned about your children. If that were… truly the case, you would have done what you were ordered to do. You’ve had plenty of time and the money to do it.

THE DEFENDANT: I don’t have cash, Your Honor.

THE COURT: We are done. Anything else?

THE DEFENDANT: I don’t have cash.

ATTY. ZAK:… We just need a date. Can we do two weeks for purge review?… How about the 29th in the morning?

…

THE COURT: The 29^th.

THE COURT: Mr. Kumar, I’m going to excuse your presence… because you’re not able to drive yourself. …

THE DEFENDANT: May I please ask something?

THE COURT: Of course.

NAIDOO (begging for the judge to simply utter the words in court as an order so she could access her retirement funds to pay the attorney and avoid jail): If you issue an order for me to transfer the retirement assets back to him (so she could get it out of her retirement account), I can do that, so I can transfer whatever is owed… But I can’t do it without a court order.

THE COURT: — I have issued the orders that I’m going to issue.

THE DEFENDANT: I can’t transfer the assets back to him without an order, Your Honor.

THE COURT: Marshal…. So, August 29th, 2:00 p.m.

ATTY. ZAK: And they can facilitate a phone call downstairs for Ms. Naidoo as well?

THE COURT: Yes, absolutely.

ATTY. ZAK: Thank you.

THE COURT: If she pulls it together. I mean, I don’t know what time the truck (to take Naidoo to the county jail) leaves…

THE MARSHAL: It’ll be a while, Your Honor.

ATTY. COHEN (concerned with his not having to appear in person on the 29th): May I appear remotely… Your Honor?

THE MARSHAL (to the judge): She’s granted a phone call?

THE COURT: Yes, absolutely. Or two or three. I’m sorry, Attorney Cohen.

ATTY. ZAK: Thank you, Your Honor.

ATTY. COHEN: Your Honor, may I appear remotely at two o’clock (on Aug 29)?

THE COURT: Sure.

ATTY. COHEN: Thank you.

…

THE COURT: Mr. Kumar, any questions, sir?

THE PLAINTIFF: So, she — I just want to make sure, so the — is she going to —

THE COURT: She’s going to be allowed to make whatever phone calls she needs to make to do what she should have done before May 1st. She can — if she makes those arrangements and gets that purge done, (pay $37, 512 plus $15,000 the judge just added as purge), she’ll walk out of here today. She’s motivated now. If not, we have a date for her to … be brought back (from jail)…. but she’s going to be allowed to make phone calls today and do what she needs to do. Okay.

ATTY. ZAK: So, she’ll be held at York Correctional pending the payment.

THE COURT: All right. We are adjourned, Marshal…

It was noon. It took just 30 minutes to uphold the kind of justice regularly found in Family Court. The marshal approached, handcuffed and shackled Naidoo, and led her out of the courtroom. Though she could make phone calls, she was unable to raise the more than $50,000 she needed to get out of jail before the truck that took prisoners to York Correctional came and drove the mother to jail to protect the dignity of the court.

At the end of the day, as she sat on the bench weighing incarcerating a mother versus issuing a few simple words in a court order that the mother said she needed to get money from her retirement funds, Judge Tindill chose the road to punishment and harm.

Even if an order was not required, what harm would have been done if Judge Tindill had exercised mercy?
She could have issued the order to release the retirement funds, and then if Naidoo still did not pay, she could still place the mother in jail.
The father, who was the ultimate beneficiary of the money, wasn’t calling for the mother’s arrest and custody. He was willing to wait for the closing in three weeks. He also asked the judge to order the release of the money.

The old conniver Gary Cohen did nothing to prevent the jailing, but acted all righteous in upholding the dignity of the court.
Cohen, like the good judge, reminds me of the electrician in Stanley Ellins’ story, The Question. He is in charge of the electric chair and his son asks him if he did not enjoy pulling the switch and having the power over and life and death, watching men squirm.
He said, “My God, how could anybody not enjoy it?”

Naidoo did get out of prison after four days, following a story that went viral on Frank Report and her friends’ hurried arrangements to protect the abandoned children and pay the $15,000 purge.

As of press time, Naidoo has still not paid the $35,000, and the 29th is on Thursday.

To be continued….

Comments (146)

Add Your Comment

Gary Cohen fan08/26/2024

We must commend attorney Cohen for his concern regarding the dignity of the court and the legal process.

Anonymous08/27/2024

We must put and end to the curruption in the state of Connecticut. People are absolutely sick of it.

Judge Roy Bean08/27/2024

Cohen hes a real good lawyer. A shit for a man. not one word to urge leniency. At least the father tried to speak in the mother's defense. Shows a bit of class or maybe he just didn't want to take care of the kids. But smelling through this is the bully Tindill. You can just see how much fun she is having. Attorney Zak is afraid of her always saying thank you, thank you to the judge while she hammers her client. No one had the guts to say, this isn't right!

Uber Justice08/27/2024

And for making sure that his client got reimbursed for his Uber fair!

Anonymous08/27/2024

That’s “dignity”? That’s “the legal process”?

Anonymous08/27/2024

Some people just don’t understand sarcasm when they see it.

STMatty08/27/2024

This is just awful…..

Anonymous08/27/2024

Disgrace. The entire state of Connecticut family court system is a disgrace and embarrassment.

Get thee to the gallows!08/27/2024

This judge is straight from the Medieval era. This is the law. You give my attorney friend the money. Or go to jail. I don't care about your children. Off with your head!

Legislators pay attention!!!08/27/2024

Now we’re required to borrow money from family and friends? We’re supposed to strain our relationships and extend our hardships to family and friends and if we don’t then we’re punished??? And if we choose to ask family and friends and we have wealthy family and friends who loan us money then we are free but if we don’t then it’s the slammer?

Anonymous08/27/2024

This needs to go viral. This transcript shows the bullying, disrespect and disregard for CT citizens and taxpayers who then enter family court only to be criminalized, belittled, mocked and thrown into prison. Tindall is a stain on the state of CT.

Tindall refuses to make illegal order08/27/2024

Tindall won’t put out an order to take money from her retirement to pay Cohen because she knows it’ll be appealed and overturned. Instead she’ll ignore all requests and move forward with the outcome she’s already promised to Cohen. One hand washes the other.

Shakedown08/27/2024

She knows she cannot order the mother to liquidate her retirement accounts … but she can threaten and coerce her into doing so. I wonder how many other mothers and fathers she has forced to go into debt or liquidate their retirement savings to pay her cronies.

She’s the executioner and proud of it.08/27/2024

Any My God, Tindall certainly does enjoy it. She’s abusive as they come. Sadistic POS

Useless Zak08/27/2024

Attorney Zak is laughable. Utterly useless and in on it with Tindall and Cohen. Files nothing. Raises no law. Gets nothing on the record. Thanks the judge. And lastly, confirms ATTY. ZAK: “So, she’ll be held at York?” There’s only one women’s prison in CT. Useless vulture draining family bank.

Anonymous08/27/2024

Brilliant Atty Zak. Good thing she showed up to gather more billable hours. Thanks for confirming she’ll be at the only women’s facility in the state of CT. 🤣 “So she’ll be at York?” As opposed to the dungeon under Tindall’s chamber? Or stuffed in one of the courts tunnels used to traffic children?

Zak the Quack08/27/2024

Zak was appointed by Tindall to be the public defender at this hearing.

Wake up Connecticut08/30/2024

Criminal justice reform. We wheel and deal people committing crimes. They are out in a flash back on the streets. Plea bargaing and dropping charges. Hartford police officer parking and sleeping on the shift. It's a waste of time to arrest these people. The state has them get their own insurance. Ranked 5th for the most deaths for drunk driving fatalities. Not a single officer was in the area when Dolus was dumping in the dangerous neighborhoods? We must send this woman to jail because Gary Cohen is not paid fast enough. There is no intergrety in Connecticut period. It is the state of Connecticut making money the CT bar association . Cost savings. Move out if you are able.

Anonymous08/27/2024

Ericka you lying cow – how dare you suggest your chamber is a court of law!!! Priceless: THE COURT: Yes, and… after you begged me…I denied it. What you don’t seem to understand is that this is a court of law. This is not negotiations… A court of law that refuses hearing upon which the court makes orders, and fails to cite any law that allows you to jail innocent citizens when they cannot afford to pay! Court of law that refuses to sign her name to an order to draw money from retirement because she wants her buddy cohen to get it all immediately. Can’t wait four weeks why exactly? What arbitrary deadline not based on any law required such a deadline? Where is the warning sign that money due to attorneys comes under the purview of the family court judge to arbitrate? Why are we in family court for business contracts that shoe be dealt with through arbitration or civil court?? Family court all about larceny and plunder. And the abuse of children and punishment for anyone who dares to speak out on decades old vast corruption and the destruction of families and rights of parents and children. Thank you Frank Report for exposing the animals and sociopaths of family court.

Shakedown08/27/2024

Agree 💯. However also note that there was no business contract between Naidoo and Cohen. Cohen was hired by Naidoo's ex-husband. Tindall just arbitrarily ordered Naidoo to pay a portion of her ex-husband's attorneys fees even though the ex-husband is the monied spouse and could afford to pay his own fees.

Mo $$$$$08/27/2024

Gary Cohen tells court Naidoo has paid all except any amount the judge is “considering to order as additional counsel fees.” https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jb6qaNVRxVgV0GdJsCiMfcClacYO264Q/view?usp=drivesdk

Cohen is a pig ...08/27/2024

This man has absolutely no shame whatsoever. Lock him up and throw away the key!

Gary Cohen fan08/27/2024

Don’t you dare say such awful things about Gary Cohen! I command you to apologize, IMMEDIATELY.

Cohen is a pig ...08/28/2024

Or what … you'll banish me to the dungeon beneath Tindall's chamber.

Anonymous08/27/2024

“THE COURT: Yes, and… after you begged me…I denied it. What you don’t seem to understand is that this is a court of law. This is not negotiations…” ”Family court” is a court of law? Why do so many say “family court” is a court of equity, not a court of law?

Anonymous08/27/2024

It is scary that the judge does not seem to know family court is a court of equity.

Anonymous09/02/2024

If “family court” is a court of equity rather than a court of law, might that explain why “family court” lawyers destroy children and families?

Mom in Court08/27/2024

Follow the $$$$$. All about referrals, collusion, increasing billable hours and winning cases to keep winning cases. Gary Cohen was concerned about the $125 uber fee to the Middletown RFTD court ….when he asked and moved the case there with Judge Moukawsher? He moved it there and it is 3 hours round trip and he can bill $800 x 3 hours for transportation. It is all a game. $2400 to drive RT to court but he is worried about his client paying $125 for an uber there????

Court Insider08/27/2024

Naidoo did not want the case moved to Middletown since she works and is the sole provider and caregiver of the children. Middletown meant taking a lot of time off from work and arranging childcare for her children. Moukauwsher transferred the case there anyway … because that is what Gary Cohen wanted. Btw, Gary Cohen now charges $950 an hour. So the round trip to Middletown is almost $2,850.

Anonymous08/27/2024

wait! the husband has no $$$ but hired Cohen at $950! sick! what garbage law school did he attend!!!!! Same as Jerry Nadler!

Anonymous08/27/2024

why would any man or woman want marriage today! destroy the families that exist to import new ones! baby producing state dependents! in CT people think its 50/50 until they go through the courts. where it usually ends up being 80/20 and the 80 goes to the one, usually the plaintiff, that racks up lawyer fees with motion after motion. judges enjoy that as it lines the pockets of their friends. i bet this judge has a 8 tier law school diploma. and prenups can be destroyed in court if the judge wants to do it! dont be fooled. they can manipulate payments and terms and allocation of assets.

Anonymous08/27/2024

This is exactly why there is such a population decline occurring in America that necessitates bringing immigrants into the country to prevent a demographic cliff from occurring. Young people today, particularly millenials and younger shy away from marriage and kids for the reasons highlighted in the cases we read on the FR.

Let them eat cake08/27/2024

Absolutely marriage has become a thing of the past. Having children is becoming less popular. Children are watching the horrific divorce court their parents are going through. As well as the government taking control over children's lives. Not in a good way. Society has a whole is little morales. Especially the people who are in control. All this is teaching children is the court system is not to be trusted. The very system that is supposed to uphold civilization is rewarding criminals and punishing good people. This is what is being breed in the United States of America.

STMatty08/27/2024

I’m interested to know whether Nishani would be interested in speaking with me about this situation? If that is the case, can someone on her behalf reply to this posting? I am assuming the phone number she listed in her filings is still operational.

Anon08/27/2024

She will speak to you. The number listed on her filings is still operational as is the email.

NiceGuy08/27/2024

RE The judges Ruling: The judge went a little far, but the woman was in contempt , and she could have easily cashed out her 401K and chose not to. It doesn’t take 5 months to cash out a 401k. The defendant did not take the judge’s ruling seriously. She either didn’t listen to or was ill -advised by her attorney.

Tindall is a Bully08/28/2024

Why was the award to Cohen for legal fees not reduced to a money judgment, which Cohen could then enforce like any judgment creditor? If Tindall believed Naidoo could access her 401k, why did she not issue an order for Naidoo to cash out her 401k? Because such an order would be unenforceable. Under ERISA, a judgment creditor is not able to seize funds from pensions and employer-sponsored retirement accounts. If Naidoo's 401k is not available to a judgment creditor – and Tindall could not issue an order for Naidoo to cash out her 401k – why should Naidoo cash out her 401k to pay Cohen? Was Tindall trying to bully Naidoo into “voluntarily” doing what federal law would forbid Tindall from ordering Naidoo to do?

Tindall is a Bully08/28/2024

If this indeed what Tindall was trying to do – bully Naidoo into doing what federal law would forbid Tindall from ordering – then how many times has Tindall done this before? The legislator needs to conduct hearings on this.

Anonymous08/28/2024

Cohen is a most thoughtful attorney. He actually got his client his Uber money reimbursed. How many lawyers would think of that ?

Gary Cohen fan08/28/2024

You are exactly correct, Gary Cohen leaves no stone unturned in pursuit of defending his clients and getting them the outcomes and money they deserve; all within the bounds of the law. He is doing all of this by simply being the best. This is why he is by far the most successful and well respected matrimonial attorney in the state. From the foothills of the Berkshire mountains, to the river valley, and onto the Gold Coast, CT citizens from all corners of the state seek this legal genius when they find themselves starting into the hallways of family court!

Uber Law08/28/2024

And Cohen even got the Uber fair added to the purge bond. So the ex-wife not only owed him for the fair, but she was also in contempt for not paying it! And Cohen got all of this done in a matter of minutes!

Fan of keeping my cash and assets08/28/2024

If you have been through family court system, you realize that the judges are focused on the attorneys and appointees getting paid. Why did she have to pay for opposing counsel fees to begin with? Everyone has their hands out. There needs to be a cap on legal fees. Is Gary Cohen that big of a legal genius or old school gangster/ mob boss in the family court Mafia? AFCC hat tricks? Any insider info?

Nailed It!08/28/2024

Cohen is an THE old school gangster/ mob boss in the family court Mafia. And that is why this mother went to jail. She exposed his corruption at every turn and even filed several appeals. Cohen called this “litigation misconduct” and simply asked Tindall to make her pay him $35,000 for it. There was no evidence at the trial of litigation misconduct. And the ex-husband's net worth was 20x hers. But you don't mess with The G! (His friends can just call him “Gary”.). This mother is being punished because she exposed Cohen for the old school gangsta that he was.

Gary Cohen fan08/31/2024

There is no family court mafia and Gary Cohen is NOT a mobster. He is simply the best matrimonial attorney in CT who drives a Bentley.

Remove Tindall from the Bench08/28/2024

To maintain the integrity of the judicial system, and protect the dignity of our courts, Erika Tindall must be removed from the bench IMMEDIATELY.

Anonymous08/28/2024

If they did not remove Vizcarrondo for his outburst featured here on the FR, they are never going to remove Tindall. For change to happen regarding corruption on family courts in CT, we need tens of thousands of people marching on the state capital demanding reform. Until that occurs, everyone will just need to electronically pontificate on the FR and accept the fact that nothing will change.

Anonymous08/29/2024

Many have suggested protests and Marches. It has been shut down by leaders of the movement. You don't March and protest the Mafia wins.

Tindall is a Liability Now

Critical Race Theory08/28/2024

I wonder how the critical race theorists would analyze this case. Here we have an African American woman, who is the judge in this case—showing no mercy and jailing another woman of color (Nishani), who has roots in South Africa, over money ordered to be remitted to an elderly white Jewish man. Notice how friendly the judge was towards Cohen and how deferential she was towards him, whereas she relished throwing into Nishani’s face the fact she begged the judge for leniency and denied reasonable leniency/accomodation nevertheless. This is a case of a black woman, who wields power, essentially bowing down to an old white man, who is there seeking something from her. Is this a case of corruption? Or, perhaps, do the vestiges of American racism have something to do with this exchange?

Uber outrageous prices08/29/2024

Money is green. It just goes to show there is no mercy at the court house. There is an equal opportunity for the family court Mafia to extort money. Why should she have to pay for an unreasonably priced attorney? At $950 an hour he could have given his client a ride home.

Race Matters08/29/2024

This is brilliant! My $0.02 is Tindall's race is a camouflage. The public perception is we have made “progress” but the reality is she is there to do what her corrupt handlers want her to do. It's a ruse.

Anonymous08/29/2024

Was Tindall on this case the whole time? Did she come in at a later stage of the case? If she did, she may have been strong, armed to make this decision to throw the mother under the bus due to prior arrangements and agreements between the powers at be Don’t be surprised with my questions. This sort of thing happens on a regular basis judges won’t steer or shift the case in a different direction that it’s already heading because it overrides their colleague who may have some influence or incentivizing factors.

Anonymous08/29/2024

From what I gather, Tindil came to the case after Adelman left the case. Given what you wrote, I have to wonder if Nishani was represented by a high powered attorney when Tindil came into the case, maybe that would have neutralized Gary Cohen and the outcome would be more fair?

Anonymous09/02/2024

Adelman controlled that case at some point? 😳

Anonymous08/29/2024

good

The Deadline08/29/2024

What baffles me the most about this is why the hard deadline for the full payment? Why wouldn't Cohen accept partial payment? Why couldn't he wait a few more weeks? The mother said she would pay him and she told him she was closing in a few weeks. Why did the money have to be paid by August 14th or she goes to jail? Cohen isn't short of money. And any other attorney would simply have gotten a money judgment and would have to seek enforcement on his own. Why was Tindall so determined that Cohen get $37,512.50 by August 14th? I don't think the answer is she was maintaining the dignity of the court. What Tindall did was a disgrace to the legal system and all sense of decency. I think the answer to the question is key to unraveling why this mother went to jail. Who needed to be paid so badly by August 14th???

Gary Cohen fan08/30/2024

How dare you write that Her Honor, Judge Tindall’s, ruling was a disgrace to the legal system! As Gary Cohen, the greatest matrimonial attorney of all time pointed out, the integrity of the system needed to be upheld and respected. This is precisely what Judge Tindall did with the assistance of none other than Gary Cohen.

Anonymous08/31/2024

Power and punishment. This is family court.

NiceGuy08/29/2024

RE Mother’s 401K; The mother was given more than enough time to liquidate her 401K. It’s not that hard. She has an attorney. Her argument is absolutely ridiculous and has No credibility whatsoever The mother’s attorney should have advised her differently!!!! Maybe the attorney did and the mother would not listen. The judge of reacted somewhat, BUT THE MOTHER HAD PLENTY OF TIME! Lesson: Don’t piss off a judge in your life will be a lot smoother.

Gary Cohen fan08/30/2024

Also, don’t piss off Gary Cohen and make him travel to Middletown!

Anon08/30/2024

Cohen was the one who asked for this case to be moved to Middletown

Gary Cohen fan08/31/2024

Yes, however if Nishani followed Her Honor, Judge Tindall’s order and paid on time, this specific trip to Middletown would not have been necessary. Gary Cohen has better things to do than travel in his Bentley to Middletown.

Anonymous08/30/2024

Governor Lamont puts Mullians to interm supreme Court justice. Protecting the criminal justice reform and family court system funding.

Shut down the gravy train.08/31/2024

Connecticut's minority project shield. The funds for greater Hartford. Connecticut Counsel for Philanthropy. Related content. Collaborative presents symposium on family and community engagement. FATHERHOOD FUNDING. MOU FOR FATHERHOOD. Raheem Mullins a young less seasoned judge is an interesting pick 46 years old and protecting Connecticut's fatherhood funding. Ned Lomont has a history of appointing minority leaders in positions and firing them when things hit a skid. The department of health, the chief public defender's office and nominated the black prosecutor who got blocked from the bench. Shipman and Goodwin were hired by William Tong to investigate the public defender's office situation. The firm received millions in PPP loans during covid. Blumenthal and Murphy were in charge of the investigation of millions of dollars of PPP loans flagged in the state of Connecticut. Complain about projects effecting the entire state such as the fatherhood initiative and criminal justice reform and you are labeled a racist. If you are well educated and black and disagree or notice problems, you are using the race card. Maybe these people are noticing that the only ones truly benefiting from these projects are state paid employees? TNAF block grant funding to fill in the gaps. Welfare reform/responsible fatherhood. The rich white men charged with domestic violence, and they don't want to pay child support. Who is benefiting from the projects? Ultimately, it's the state of Connecticut budgets. Raises, pension and Retirment. Child support arrearage and the wonder bread committee, AFCC/ alienation industry/ CT bar association profiting off the entire mess. Exploitation of minority projects.

Truth08/30/2024

Rabbi Traffickerstein makes it rain and Aunt Jemima shakes her badonkadonk right on queue.

Reality is not black and white.08/31/2024

Swindle Tindell. If there is cold hard Cash to be distributed around the family court industry your color and religion is no matter. It's raining in every Connecticut court room. The court house is really an place where you pay to reclaim your children. This Mom just had to pay an extra $37,000 to the real gatekeepers in the state of Connecticut. The family court Mafia.

Anonymous09/01/2024

Aunt Tindall's court room

Now comes the eviction ...08/31/2024

Naidoo posted on social medial that Tindall is now evicting her and her children from their home. Naidoo's exclusive use and possession of the marital residence ends on September 2nd. Naidoo asked Tindall for an extension as she lost her job, had been jailed, and got into debt to pay Gary Cohen. Tindall scheduled a hearing for the afternoon of August 29th, and in a few short sentences, Tindall circumvented all Naidoo's due process rights. She not only said no to extending her request to extend her exclusive use and occupancy, she terminated her right to occupy the home at all and said that Naidoo and her children need to be out of the home by midnight on September 2nd. Wonder if Tindall will jail the children as well if they are still there on September 3rd.

DCF08/31/2024

Does anyone know if DCF has been notified? Those children must be traumatized. First their mother disappears and they find out she is in jail; now they are being thrown out of their home. Assuming the father is the owner of the home. Is he going along with the eviction of his own minor children??

Welfare reform/healthy marriage/ responsible fathe08/31/2024

Great job Tindell swindler toss the Mom and kids out on a holiday weekend. Don't call DCF they are alined with the judicial branch. Tindell is mad she landed on the frank report. Suburban mothers you are being tossed in jail, have your financial resources taken and tossed out on your ass with your children in toe. Our new interm supreme Court justice is running the family court circus. In the name of equity the heavily involved in federal funding is showing women in Connecticut how things are going to play out. You file for divorce the judges will ramble on about parental alienation despite the father not wanting them, you will be forced to pay a ridiculously priced attorney your spouse picked. You will be tossed in jail for not coming up with the money fast enough. Then you will be tossed out on a holiday weekend. Project 2025 is in full swing in the state of Connecticut. Punished for divorce and single Parenthood. The economic growth and development of the state of Connecticut. Equity, devalued weak constitutional rights. Thank your elected officials for the circus in Connecticut family court. Vote no to Lamont/ Susan Bysiewicz. Vote no to William Tong. Vote no to the majority of public officials running the state of Connecticut. Curruption at it's finest.

Anonymous08/31/2024

There’s an opening for CT Supreme Court Justice. Let’s hope Lamont has the decency not to choose this sociopathic animal.

Connecticut politicians09/01/2024

Hey Ned Lemont, what happened in the Bridgeport case? They granted visitation to a father who left his child for dead in a bath tub in a hotel. After you placed a father's rights judge in charge of the judicial system. You will be exposed to the public. It's not Malicious. It's in good faith to inform the public. William Tong your role in the state family court system will be told to the public. Freedom of speech, telling the truth is not malicious. Protecting the public is not malicious. People have the right to know what politicians are doing and vote accordingly. Ask for the federal government to get involved. You can try to cover up incompetence and other things going on in family court . The entire state has a right to know where their tax dollars are going and what is happening as a result.

Do your homework09/02/2024

Do your homework. This has nothing to do with women insisting on all women having custody. These are 20 percent of cases where the insistence is made that women/ mothers are lying. Criminal justice reform has effected the legal process for domestic abuse. Sexual assaults and other violent crimes are inconvenient for the state of Connecticut.There are both mothers and fathers who should not have custody. Yet, the state of Connecticut has focused on the priority of fatherhood and used the MOU for its financial stability. Best interest is a joke. Connecticut is ground zero for the welfare reform and fatherhood legislation. There are several reasons to ERA was never archived. Religious organizations feel it would take away from old fashion family values. The government is not pushing the divorce industry they want people to stay married. They are mysognist views that the father's are heads of the family. Connecticut has been a malicious place of punishment for women going to court with reports of abuse. After much spot light on Connecticut family court, hundreds of women complaining. The perminant commission on women was erased and replaced with the commission on women children and seniors with small print equality and inclusion. This organization has intentionally ignored and failed to step up for the hundreds of women complaining. Because it's funding relys on support of the MOU. Children have been assaulted in DCF care and they remain silent. Thanks you to the politicians for setting it up this way. This is a gender issue not because fathers should not have access and custody of children. It's the insistence that abusive ones have the Red carpet rolled out for the financial economic growth and development of the state of Connecticut. At the expense of it's citizens. Our interm supreme Court justice is a fatherhood project judge. Cause Connecticut wants to reduce the cost of incarceration/prosecution and the federal funding to HHS programs in CT.

Another horrible Tindill case …09/11/2024

… The lawsuit, filed under a state law holding municipalities liable for negligent acts of employees, itemizes 36 different ways it says Knablin and the police department should have done more while failing to arrest or detain Dewitt prior to the homicide. It says police failed to “properly monitor and observe” Dewitt, did not act quickly enough on Minogue's complaints, did not perform a “lethality assessment” screen customary in domestic violence cases, and “affirmatively engaged in conduct that increased the danger” to Minogue by telling Dewitt she was seeking his arrest. The lawsuit also says police “provided false and misleading assurances” to Minogue “that she would not be harmed by the defendant, Dewitt, and that they were protecting her.” … https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/julie-minogue-milford-ct-lawsuit-19503301.php

Anonymous09/12/2024

Does The Office Of The Chief State's Attorney blame the police instead of blaming the inept — and sometimes criminal — state “family court” system? Which authorities are investigating that case to discover who should have protected that family from that horrible — and totally avoidable — harm ? Located in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, the Office of the Chief State's Attorney is responsible for the statewide administrative functions of the Division of Criminal Justice. In addition to budget, personnel and other administrative functions, the Office of the Chief State's Attorney includes specialized units for the investigation and prosecution of certain criminal matters and for representing the state in appellate and other legal matters. https://portal.ct.gov/dcj/about-us/about-us/office-of-the-chief-states-attorney?language=en_US

Anonymous05/24/2025

The same heartless, sadistic and power hungry judge separated loving mother from her young child some years ago in a custody case. Is it all about $$$? I feel sorry for Ms. Naidoo and believe that it is high time something is done about this so called Family Court in Stamford, CT.

Anonymous06/05/2025

What a disgusting human being this judge is. She should be disbarred for her heartless rulings. These family court judges are probably getting kickbacks from attorneys like Cohen. The good old boy network at its best. Judge Tindall is a disgrace to her profession.

Anonymous09/08/2025

She is at it again. My friend, a great loving father, is about to go to jail because he is not allowed to tap into his 401k due to the admin not allowing it. He is trying to pay, but has no means since the system has already drained him of all available funds. 2/3 kids won't even speak to their mother any longer because of this. The family as a whole has blown all of their saving they put away over the last 22 yrs. If he goes to jail, he will lose his job and still not be able to pay. The same public defender, Zak, is on this case because he can't afford to pay his previous lawyer. She is clearly complicit. We sent the ex wife $10k (group of friends) to keep him from jail while they were in court and the judge still sent him, but we got the extra cash they demanded at the last second while he was in shackles. They literally pulled him out of line to the bus. This judge and the system she operates in along with the plaintiff's lawyer, Melissa Needle, ruin lives. He is desperate to find help if anyone has any recommendations. He has until mid October 2025

Anonymous09/08/2025

This judge needs to show some compassion. I wish someone could examine the courts books as well as the attorneys the judge is in cahoots with. Any way to alert the DOJ?

Anonymous09/09/2025

He's trying all angles. He filed a grievance against the lawyer. The board seemed to be interested and then suddenly dropped it. Piles of documents showing lies and pre-planned contempt filings. Group of people trying to find a solution, but it feels pretty helpless. Very frustrating. Not sure the DOJ is going to do anything in family court, especially on such short notice and considering the outcome of the grievance. They lawyers are taking advantage of the wife. She is not mentally stable. It's all a crime. Only hope is that he can prove that he is trying to pay, but can't. He has proof that he is not allowed to tap into his retirement account as opposed to the woman in the story, but not sure that will be enough for this judge. She repeatedly calls him a liar with nothing to back that up other than the word of the plaintiff's lawyers.

Anonymous10/22/2025

I've been in her courtroom. Tindill is an obtuse self-righteous disgrace. She misses the facts and what is in the best interest of the people and families before her and instead functions around respect for her power. She's a shame to the profession. Ned Lamont needs to correct this mistake.