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The Family Justice Response to Domestic Abuse - Women’s Aid www.womensaid.org.uk/the-family-j... #FamilyCourt #DomesticAbuse

The Family Justice Response to...

The Family Justice Response to Domestic Abuse - Women’s Aid
https://www.womensaid.org.uk/the-family-justice-response-to-domestic-abuse/

#FamilyCourt
#DomesticAbuse

Judge Ends Decade-Long Custody Battle Marked by Parental Alienation

A British family court has concluded a decade-long custody dispute between two parents accused of alienating their children from one another. Judge Graham Parnell, sitting at Ipswich County Court, ruled that the case must end after determining that prolonged hostility between the parents was deeply ... [More info]

A warm weekend in October just before family court

It feels tense around sensitive days like the upcoming hearing. As your mum limits interactions, there are so many things that need to be sorted out but it’s hard to resolve anything, however basic, like collecting your high chair or carseat.

The weather forecast said it would be a surprisingly warm weekend, basically like summer. I wanted to do something nice with you like a picnic but your mum refuses to meet in the centre so it will be tricky within our time.

The main person who’s worse off because of your mum’s hostilities is you. There’s no reasonable perspective to explain why she should be so difficult to cooperate on little plans for the day.

Our sunny day

I tried to make the best of the day and planned to get to Zizzi’s for lunch which gave us enough time to look at a few shops and explore for a bit.

One of the estates in the area was open to the public so we had the chance to check out the grounds. The pretty gardens and enclosed green was perfect for a running monkey like you!

Green fingersPulling faces with daddy

You’re becoming more independent, some of our day involved you walking slowly with your little legs. It’s going to be lovely when you’re older and we can go on treks and adventures. I’m sure you’ll be leaving me behind!

The day was straightforward. There’s limited room for planning more exciting things and you’re often unwell in some way or another so calm days seem best.

Our moo-full afternoon

After lunch, as usual, I take you for a stroll in your buggy where you promptly fall asleep. I walk with the aim of having some background momentum so you sleep better but sometimes it’s tiring to be honest. Today’s heat and busyness wasn’t great for walking around but the most important thing is you slept well.

While you were snoozing, I had walked up to the edge of the centre until I saw a few cows next to the canal. It was unusual and not something I’m used to seeing back at home in the Big City! I waited nearby expecting you to be waking up around this time and in perfect sync you shuffled awake with a herd of beautiful brown cows in your view.

Saying moo to a herd of cattle

At this point I had to prepare for getting back. 40 minutes could easily become more if you need something along the way.

It’s starting to feel like we really only have lunch. It’s hard to make happy memories when most of our time together is in a restaurant or just walking to and from the station.

In the future, let’s go for lunch and make it really special. Sunday lunches have been our time since you were a baby. It was forced on us but let’s embrace it and make it the special daddy daughter time it should be.

Court on Thursday

My mind is a blank as it has been so often in the last year. It’s impossible to ignore but too painful and stressful to allow to surface. I don’t know what to think about Thursday. Your mum has done everything possible to stop us from having a relationship and take you from me.

Impossible choices

When your mum took you I had the impossible choice of refusing and the huge problems that would’ve caused short term, or do as I did and work through the court process knowing that your mum had already planned out that the move would become the status quo and a family court wouldn’t force her to move.

I did what I thought would cause you the least distress but sometimes I wonder if it would have been better for me to take the alternative option which would have kept us together for the years ahead. This is the dilemma I will always live with.

Back in River Town in a few days

I’ll be back in River Town for 9am on Thursday to be told why I can’t have you overnight. Why I can’t give you a kiss goodnight. I’ll be told why you can’t go on holiday with me. You’ll be 3 years old and still unaccustomed to being with me overnight if I let your mum’s plans go ahead. I may have no option.

The system doesn’t care about the bond between a dad and daughter.

#apart #dad #dadLife #daddyDaughterTime #daughter #dayOut #family #familyCourt #fatherSRights #fatherhood #heartbreak #parentalAlienation #parenting #sunnyDay #timeTogether #toddler #toddlerLife #withMyGirl

A toddler in a cap holding a toy walking on a country lane

A toddler smiling and touching purple flowers in a garden

A man with a beard taking a selfie with a smiling toddler

A toddler sitting in a buggy watching cows grazing near residential buildings

Dyfed‑Powys and South Wales Police buck national decline in coercive control charges

Local forces top the table

Almost ten years after coercive and controlling behaviour (CCB) was made a criminal offence under the Serious Crime Act 2015, new analysis shows that Dyfed‑Powys Police and South Wales Police are leading the way nationally in bringing charges.

Dyfed‑Powys Police saw the biggest rise in England and Wales, with the proportion of offences leading to a charge or summons more than doubling from 4.05% to 8.65% in the past year.
South Wales Police recorded the second‑highest increase, climbing from 10.11% to 11.16%.

By contrast, many other forces saw their charge rates fall, with the City of London dropping to zero and Nottinghamshire and Wiltshire also recording sharp declines.

What coercive control means

Coercive control covers patterns of intimidation, isolation, financial restriction and emotional manipulation. It was recognised in law in 2015 to reflect the reality that abuse is not always physical, but can still have devastating and long‑lasting effects.

Family law specialists say the rise in charges in Wales may reflect more victims feeling able to report abuse, but also highlights the scale of the problem.

“Statistics only tell part of the story”

Kathryn McTaggart, family law solicitor and director at Woolley & Co, said:

“Clients often describe years of financial restriction, emotional manipulation, or social isolation – behaviours that don’t just end when the relationship does. They continue to shape how safe someone feels during separation, whether they can engage in mediation, and the tone of negotiations.”

She warned that while criminal prosecutions show progress in some areas, the family courts remain inconsistent. Allegations of coercive control are often raised in divorce, child contact and financial disputes, but the way courts respond can vary dramatically.

What it means for families in Wales

In divorce cases, coercive control is increasingly cited in petitions, but survivors often feel the abuse is invisible in financial settlements.
In child contact disputes, courts are expected to investigate allegations before making decisions, but practice varies widely.
In financial proceedings, the law sets a high bar for conduct to affect asset division, leaving many survivors feeling the economic impact of abuse is overlooked.

Campaigners say that without consistent recognition across both criminal and family courts, survivors remain at risk of being retraumatised by the very systems meant to protect them.

ITV Wales presenter Ruth Dodsworth has spoken out about her experience of coercive control after her ex‑husband was jailed for harassment and abuse.
(Image: Regan Talent Management)

Ruth Dodsworth: speaking out after coercive control conviction

ITV Wales presenter Ruth Dodsworth has become one of the most high‑profile voices raising awareness of coercive control after her ex‑husband, Jonathan Wignall, was jailed in 2021 for a near‑decade campaign of harassment and abuse.

Since then, Ruth has spoken publicly about the impact of coercive control on her life and family, using her platform to encourage survivors to seek help and to press for stronger safeguards in both the criminal justice system and the family courts.

Related articles

Ruth Dodsworth: Speaking out on coercive control

ITV Wales presenter Ruth Dodsworth has spoken publicly about her experiences of coercive control after her ex-husband, Jonathan Wignall, was jailed in 2021 for a near-decade-long campaign of harassment and abuse.

Since the case, Ruth has become a prominent voice in raising awareness of domestic abuse, sharing her story to encourage others to seek help and to highlight the importance of safeguarding.

#abuse #coerciveAndControllingBehaviour #coerciveControl #criminalCourt #divorce #DyfedPowysPolice #emotionalManipulation #familyCourt #familyLaw #financialRestriction #harassment #intimidation #isolation #law #relationships #RuthDodsworth #SeriousCrimeAct #socialIsolation #SouthWalesPolice

ITV Wales presenter Ruth Dodsworth has become a leading voice raising awareness of coercive control following her ex‑husband’s conviction in 2021.

Boosts appreciated!

I have some dear friends who are looking for a family court #lawyer who practices in NY (Orange County) to assist with an immediate need pertaining to guardianship of minors. If anyone has recommendations, I would appreciate them deeply!

#fedilaw #familycourt #guardianship #custody

2/2 The Big Cases - My Baby: Taken, Failed, Killed - BBC iPlayer www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis... #FamilyCourt #SocialServices #DomesticViolence #DomesticAbuse

The Big Cases - My Baby: Taken...

A kid can be taken from their mum & put up for adoption (without needing the mum to agree) not because the child is currently in danger but because the mum has previously been in an abusive relationship.

The Big Cases - My Baby: Taken, Failed, Killed - BBC iPlayer
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0cpgjjd/the-big-cases-my-baby-taken-failed-killed

#FamilyCourt
#SocialServices
#DomesticViolence
#DomesticAbuse

I'm over 80% of the way to being able to keep my lawyer for another month.

I'd really appreciate if you're able to donate or share. Just $800 to go out of a $4.6k bill.

You can support me via chuffed, ko-fi(in bio) or directly:

venmo/cashapp/paypal: $nullagent

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What’s Going On in Courts with AI

AI tools are beginning to assist in legal tasks like research, document review, and legal drafting—but not replace judges. These tools help save time and improve accuracy.
AP News Judicature+2The Times+2
Judges are gradually exploring AI to support—but not supplant—judicial functions. Some have even written opinions discussing its potential.
Connect On Tech
Courts are also experimenting with AI in more dramatic ways. For example, AI-generated victim statements have been used in sentencing and raised serious ethical concerns regarding manipulation and authenticity.
AP News
There’s growing skepticism too:
- One study found judges highly distrust risk-assessment algorithms, calling them “worthless” or “not helpful.”
  Business Insider+3The Times+3Judicature+3
- A group of judges declared that while AI might streamline administrative tasks, it should never replace core human judgment in legal decisions.
  The Times
Public sentiment is similarly cautious:
- Judges who rely on expertise are generally viewed as more legitimate and fair compared to those using AI, especially among White and Hispanic communities. Interestingly, some Black respondents saw AI-assisted decisions as potentially more neutral due to historical bias in the system.
  info.breakingmedia.com+14PMC+14Judicature+14
Legal bodies are already creating guidance:
- The ABA has issued ethics guidance on AI use by lawyers.
  napco4courtleaders.org+1 American Bar Association
- Australian courts require lawyers to disclose AI usage to avoid misleading courts.
  The Australian
A Thomson Reuters survey showed a majority of legal professionals have adopted AI in the past year, with nearly 90% wanting AI tailored to their profession. A webinar is being held on how AI tools are being used in courts ethically.
info.breakingmedia.com

Comment Just Now So what about the others at the meetings in Wahington with Clinton , Blair , Dunkley why do you think you will get honest answer from any of these three the real breadcrumbs from “Education, Education, Education” what about the others at the meetings in Washington with Clinton, Blair, and Dunkley? Why do you think you will get an honest answer from any of these three? The real breadcrumbs from “Education, Education, Education” — Blair’s speech — point to a trilogy of men, or perhaps a “divine trinity” in his mind. No official detail has ever been given on who else was in the room.? When are the others receiving Subpoena?High-Profile Depositions Scheduled on Epstein Case
Comment2m They Haven’t Even Touched the Tip of the Iceberg Authorities have yet to confront the full scale of Epstein’s crimes. In the UK alone, there are 430,000 missing children — including my daughter, Emily — referenced in government and NSPCC documents. This evidence places Bill Clinton as a prime suspect. He met with Tony Blair and potentially Matthew Dunkley in 1996, yet refuses to release his April itinerary. When you connect these facts to disturbing reports from UK care homes and to the operations of Chaturbate — a billion-dollar live-stream sex platform with origins shrouded in secrecy — the reality becomes sickening. Evidence suggests Timothy W. Newcome, an IT architect linked to Epstein’s digital empire, may have played a role in the platform’s technical foundations. His disappearance from public records before 2013, the lack of corporate transparency, and potential FBI ties all point to deliberate obfuscation. Taken together, the picture is one of a systemic, industrial-scale exploitation network — exploiting vulnerable children through both physical trafficking and digital monetisation — operating under the noses of governments and tech companies, shielded by political connections and silence.New Jeffrey Epstein survivors to come forward
Comment17h Clintons Could Face Threat of Contempt Over Subpoena If Bill Clinton never visited Epstein’s island, why does his name appear in the flight records? He also met with Tony Blair and possibly Matthew Dunkley, yet his Presidential Library refuses to release his April 1996 itinerary. What exactly is he hiding? I warned before that this man would never be truthful — he was close to Ghislaine Maxwell and has inherited her secrecy.1 ReplyClintons Could Face Threat of Contempt Over Subpoena

“Personally, my paid for Chat AI can’t count past six images to put ten of them in a line. If this AI can’t count past six, how can it inform a judge who is supposed to be trained in all factors of the law?”

President Bill Clinton as a “prime suspect” in relation to the Epstein case.

Claims by Congressman James Comer: House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer has described former President Bill Clinton as a “prime suspect” in relation to the Epstein case

New York Post

Subpoenas & Investigation: Both Bill and Hillary Clinton have been subpoenaed by the Republican-led House Oversight Committee to testify as part of a broader scrutiny into their connections with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, scheduled for fall 2025.

The Sun | ElHuffPost | New York Post

House Demands Documents: The committee has also issued subpoenas to the Department of Justice and sought documents connected to the Epstein investigation, with a deadline for compliance set for August 19.

FactCheck.org |The Week | YouTube | MSN.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRgldMdqnPs

This news segment reports that the U.S. House Oversight Committee has issued subpoenas to former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as part of an expanding investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s activities

PRIME SUSPECT

Claims by Congressman James Comer: House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer has described former President Bill Clinton as a “prime suspect” in relation to the Epstein case

New York Post

The Sun | ElHuffPost | New York Post | The People

FactCheck.org |The Week | YouTube | MSN|

Martin Newbold, author of The Stealing of Emily: Institutional Fraud and Toxic Judicial Procedures, announces an upcoming exposé examining how late-1990s policy alignments between the U.S. and U.K. coincided with systemic failures that allowed a child—Emily Cathryn Newbold Smith—to be “present on paper, absent in life.”

Update — What’s formally on record (Aug 2025):

The House Oversight Committee says it has subpoenaed Bill and Hillary Clinton, along with former AGs/FBI directors, and is seeking DOJ records related to Epstein. (Committee release, Aug 2025.) House Oversight Committee
Chair James Comer has described Bill Clinton as a “prime suspect” in media interviews. That’s Comer’s characterization, not a DOJ designation. Yahoo Yahoo News
Separate reporting says a birthday note from Bill Clinton to Epstein exists (per Wall Street Journal reporting summarized by The Guardian/Politico). Clinton’s office has long said he “knows nothing” of Epstein’s crimes. The Guardian Politico Newsweek
FactCheck.org recently noted there’s no evidence Clinton visited Epstein’s island “28 times,” countering viral claims. FactCheck.org

What’s not on record:

No public DOJ filing names Clinton as a defendant or “prime suspect.” The 2019 SDNY case and Maxwell conviction established trafficking crimes but didn’t allege broadcasting/streaming or charge specific third-party “client

The investigation focuses on the 1996–97 window surrounding high-level meetings associated with then-President Bill Clinton and then-Prime Minister Tony Blair. Newbold’s reporting does not allege criminal conduct by those principals. Instead, it raises questions about how the era’s policy choices, procurement, and data practices helped normalize cross-border case handling, closed-material procedures, and record-keeping that could displace children in documents without physical verification.

“Our files show meetings minuted without a child, assessments naming the wrong father, and a trail of reviews in a jurisdiction where Emily never was,” said Newbold. “We are publishing the documents we can, and asking those who hold the rest to release them.”

What the exposé will publish

Core documents already in hand (e.g., FOI responses, viability assessments, correspondence, registry anomalies) and a verification checklist for any additional records.
A technical note explaining how remote admin tools (e.g., Citrix-fronted consoles) could separate paper control from physical presence in care and online-platform operations.
A timeline mapping claimed placements against missing artefacts (travel, GP/school/health records) and formal notices where agencies declined to investigate.

What it is not claiming

It is not a claim that President Clinton (or named public figures) committed crimes in the U.K. care system.
It is a call for document release, independent audit, and accountability for officials whose signatures appear on contradictory records.

Call to action

Newbold invites comment from the Cabinet Office, Home Office, Ofcom, the NI Department of Health, and relevant U.S. counterparts. Subjects named in the documents will be given right of reply prior to publication.

About the author
Martin Newbold is the author of The Stealing of Emily: Institutional Fraud and Toxic Judicial Procedures, an investigation into how U.K. systems can convert a child’s life into paperwork and evade scrutiny.

Comment Just Now Clinton Named Prime Suspect – But Will the Truth Come Out?It’s getting worse. Clinton may have been caught, but what if he doesn’t tell the truth? Calls are growing for multiple arrests — not just Clinton, but also Tony Blair and Matthew Dunkley. Why are the FBI and Clinton Presidential Library still refusing to release the April 1996 White House itinerary? We know the Northern Ireland peace deal was on the agenda — but was there also discussion on the inception of child abduction networks tied to social care? Why hasn’t the Australian government investigated Dunkley’s record in Victoria? Is this yet another pretend investigation? If Clinton is a prime suspect, the trail is clear. The missing pieces are locked inside FBI files — and they could reveal the full story.Trump’s Epstein Ties Scrutinized in Maxwell Testimony
Reply to a comment1d J. Exton — we have an unredacted Black Book running to 2005–2006. Is there a later Black Book? According to the hardware available, Epstein’s IT man — the one who allegedly set up the Chaturbate empire — is presumably a cooperating witness turning over evidence. There appears to be a lack of contracts and other documentation for him, which would be necessary to prove it was not him but someone else, currently unknown.‘Hiding Something’: Critics Raise Alarms on Epstein Case
Comment1d I’m not really sure Trump is hiding anything. The FBI, the Clintons, museums, and other data repositories — yes, they are not replying and are hiding information.1 Reply‘Hiding Something’: Critics Raise Alarms on Epstein Case
Reply to a comment2d You must mean Clinton, Blair and Dunkley!New York judge refuses to unseal Ghislaine Maxwell’s grand jury transcripts despite Trump’s request
Comment2d We’re narrowing in on 2005, the “available hardware” point becomes very telling — because the scale, speed, and storage required to run anything like Epstein’s alleged streaming or archival setup back then would have been far harder to achieve than today, and it leaves a much narrower set of possible configurations. look no further than the stealing of emily news website.New York judge refuses to unseal Ghislaine Maxwell’s grand jury transcripts despite Trump’s request
Comment2d Well thats debunked on the thestealingofemily /2025/08/11/chaturbates-development-the-ukrainian-programmer-myth/ we’re narrowing in on 2005, the “available hardware” point becomes very telling — because the scale, speed, and storage required to run anything like Epstein’s alleged streaming or archival setup back then would have been far harder to achieve than today, and it leaves a much narrower set of possible configurations.Judge rejects unsealing Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury transcripts
Comment2d Well thats debunked on the thestealingofemily /2025/08/11/chaturbates-development-the-ukrainian-programmer-myth/House Oversight Committee Ramps Up Epstein Investigation
Comment2d Well thas debunked on the thestealingofemily /2025/08/11/chaturbates-development-the-ukrainian-programmer-myth/Trump Surgeon General Tears Into RFK Jr.’s ‘Failed’ Response to CDC Shooting
Comment2d I’m concerned that federal authorities haven’t been transparent about their role in how certain online platforms evolved. Some companies’ origin stories have unexplained gaps. A large adult streaming platform operated by Multi Media, LLC has faced multiple legal actions about age-verification, yet there’s still no public clarity on which developer originally built it or who, today, is directly responsible for implementing robust age checks. Legal context (public record). Bottom line: The operator is known (Multi Media, LLC), the obligations are clearer after these rulings, but the public record doesn’t identify a single named programmer/author responsible for the codebase.Vance calls out Democrats over Epstein files, reignites push for transparency

We now have hopefully the final hearing in this saga is happening now.

As usual I welcome court watch from friends, family and the public.

Observing out legal system work is critical to keeping cops and courts honest.

https://kingcounty.zoom.us/j/81505950030

#MutualAidRequest #CourtWatch #ParentingWhileBlack #Seattle #FamilyCourt #BlackMastodon

#MutualAidRequest #LegalFees

Help urgently needed.

I'm still over $1500 short of my lawyer bill which is due on only four days!

$3000 - June Lawyer bill remaining
$700 - Bills, food, clothes
PAID - July storage bill (thanks, I was able to knock this one out with your help!)

$1856 / $4000

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Jumping bean, a day in our neighbourhood

We played lots today. Being at home and in the neighbourhood is so simple but also my favourite.

I’ve been thinking about our time together all week. For lunch, I thought I’d give the Asian style tofu a go again, as you liked it last time when Olivia made us lunch.

Your mum dropped you off which, I was really happy about because we’d have as much of the 11-4 as possible. She was with a woman, I don’t know who and how well you know her. To avoid issues I don’t ask, I’m not able to even ask who you’re spending time with.

Together at home

You make your way inside with increasing familiarity, there are a still a few parts that you don’t remember like navigating inside the building, but once inside your home I’m pleased you know your way around and immediately roam like you’re the boss. This usually means exploring the balcony, an obsession equal during winter or summer! I make sure to wipe down the balcony so you can explore freely and not get too mucky from the dust and spiderwebs!

Once settled, I wanted to get a few bits from my bedroom so you followed me in and ran around to the curtains to play and hide. Your joyful face while you hide and I overreact to you revealing yourself is exactly what I thought being a dad would be like. Olivia joined in and we entertained your game, or perhaps you were entertaining our reactions.

We jumped about in bed including me helping you do a rolypoly. I remember when you were too delicate to hold leaning over and now you’re the one jumping wildly!

A local afternoon

After your nap we went to the coffee shop nearby, for a snack and babyccino. These little things are the weekend’s dream. Having fun in the warm weather and making the most of the local amenities.

Hard at work with your watercolour book

Still with lots of energy I thought it would be best to go into the courtyard where the shade kept us safely away from the sun and minimal time would be lost travelling around.

Our last games of the day

A delivery box about your size became the last game of our day. It’s true what they say about fancy toys. Sometimes kids are more interested in the box than the toy.

One Izzy safely delivered

Ahead of your mum collecting you, I went through the routine of ensuring you had a fresh nappy for the journey home, a good sip of water and was full of kisses.

Listen through the podcast

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1BMtOdxWb3g4Xzl1BaG9pA?si=q2ro2ZQ2RW-dCC0gnPz0pg

#dad #dadLife #dadTime #daughter #family #familyCourt #father #fatherSRights #fatherhood #missYou #parenting #preciousMoments #timeTogether #timeWithDaddy #withYou

Close up of a toddler in a floral top smiling

Toddler sitting in an armchair drinking from a cup

A father helps a toddler walk on wooden stumps

Toddler sitting in a cardboard box on the floor

https://youtube.com/shorts/pEEKt7Fjwds?si=hYerphQot_mBdKFq

Tristan Tate: Should Men Opt Out of Child Support with 50/50 Custody?
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Linktr.ee/562AlexD

#andrewtate
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#FamilyCourt

I just opened the first invoice from the lawyer, it's ten thousand dollars.

That's how much it has cost so far to defend myself from this frivolous family court case for "parenting while Black" and setting reasonable relationship boundaries as a Black man in America.

This racist ass country always finds new ways to be a nightmare.

cashapp / venmo $nullagent

$1357 / $4000

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#urgent #MutualAidRequest #pnw #familycourt #BlackMastodon