Adult Child Pledge: Conor Paris

My experience with the family court system has been deeply disappointing.

While I initially believed that the legal system was designed to support families, especially children, my personal experiences have unfortunately proven this to be far from accurate: 

In July, my father was sent to jail for the fourth time, as the result of a judge’s ruled attempt to force him into paying money he simply does not have. The court claimed that incarcerating him was in the best interest of my siblings and I, however this logic is fundamentally flawed. My father’s repeated imprisonment has done nothing but inflict undue stress and harm onto my family.

Our court-appointed lawyer, Howard Rosenberg, has only further compounded this issue. Despite our family’s repeated requests that he avoid actions that would ultimately cause us more harm than good, Rosenberg has continually pushed for measures that negatively impact us. 

For example, he prevented my younger brother from attending a crucial tournament in Kentucky — a highly anticipated event he had been eagerly looking forward to for months. Rosenberg’s decisions seem to be driven more by his desire to increase his own legal fees than by any genuine wish to represent our interests. These actions have depleted the college fund intended to support all of our education, and as a result, my siblings and I are now burdened by the large sum of loans we have been forced to take out in order to afford college.

In addition to our lawyer’s troubling behavior, the judge overseeing our case has exhibited a concerning lack of professionalism. During a recent hearing, she conducted the court session with visible anger and dismissiveness, particularly directed towards me upon joining the call to provide my perspective. Her refusal to consider my input was especially alarming and backwards, given that children have unique insights and qualifications to speak to our parents’ dynamics and character. 

Moreover, when my father requested the court to allow my brother’s participation in his baseball game, the judge denied the motion without hearing his argument, displaying a repeated pattern of dismissiveness.

The legal system has not only failed to hold these individuals accountable, but has also failed our family in the process. Our struggles are not unique; many families suffer from the same systemic issues — and therefore, I am committed to finding a way to hold both judges and lawyers accountable for their actions.