NCP Force! - Judicial Watch

Family law judges feel free to commit rights abuses because they know that what occurs in their courtrooms rarely reaches the ears of the general public. They are perfectly content to operate in secrecy and dispense injustice as they see fit, or to engage in their work incompetently.

NCPForce! is here to declare that their ability to engage in such practices is now coming to an end.

Below you will find a list of the family law judges from around the nation. Those judges listed here have a history of rights abuses, questionable qualifications, or are biased against fathers and other non-custodial parents. They have either been reported to us by our visitors or uncovered through our own research.

We encourage visitors to send tips about corrupt/abusive judges in their area and to update our information.

Complaints

The following list is arranged by state. If you see a name of a jurist you believe to be corrupt or abusive, it is important that you add a complaint so that we may establish a pattern of bad behavior. Once enough complaints have been filed against any one jurist, this jurist will be moved to our Worst Judges List.

Please use the links below to find a justice in your state:

AZ | CA | CT | District of Columbia | IL | KY | MI | MN | MS | NJ | NY | OH | OK | TX |

Arizona

Judge Name	County	# of complaints
Eileen Willet	Maricopa	1
Details: Failure to act on motion for visitation.

David R. Ostapuk	Pima	1
Details: Complaint alleges that this judge was rude and abusive to non-custodial parent in child support case, and set support at a level which exceeds income. According to complaint, non-custodial parent earns $1062 per month and support was set at $1091 per month. Complainant also claims that this judge refused to hear any arguments in the non-custodial parent's defense and summoned court officers to silence him.

California

Judge Name	County	# of complaints
Gregory Dwyer	El Dorado	1
Details: Complaint alleges that this judge abused his discretion in a case which began in 2002 by removing custody and parenting of complainant's three sons from 80% to 8 days per month. Complainant also suggests a judicial conflict of interest in her case because this judge is married to her ex's attorney.

Connecticut

Judge Name	County	# of complaints
Cynthia K. Swiention	New Haven	1
Details: Complaint alleges that this justice refused to uphold automatic orders of the court (which were noted in official court transcripts) and allowed the plaintiff in this case to sell the family home. Complaint further alleges that this judge demonstrated bias in favor of plaintiff by allowing plaintiff to retain legal counsel with proceeds from this sale.

Eileen Willet	Maricopa	1
Details: Failure to act on motion for visitation.

District of Columbia

Judge Name	County	# of complaints
Natalia Combs Greene	District of Columbia	1
Details: Complaint alleges that this judge has allowed government attorneys to bribe, intimidate, threaten and harassed plaintiff witnesses, and to commit perjury in almost every motion. Complaint further alleges that Judge Combs-Greene justifies her behavior by citing that "she was a government attorney". Complaint further alleges she attacked complainant's witnesses and then began systematically reversing a previous sitting judge's orders; also, that she is verbally abusive and once called the complainant "a dog" in open court and threatened complainant's counsel; and that she failed to recuse herself from complainant's case, even after complainant's counsel complained to Chief Judge and filed Judicial Disciplinary complaint against her.

Illinois

Judge Name	County	# of complaints
Alexis Otis-Lewis	St. Clair	3
Details: (Complaint 1) Complaint alleges that this judge has apparently, potentially, participated in and then attempted to cover up her participation in willingly allowing a marriage fraud and apparently, potential abuse of an American citizen and American citizen children, ages 3 and 5. Has terminated all visitation and attempted to terminate all parental rights of the father for speaking out about this abuse. IL 20th Judicial circuit court Belleville, Illinois Case number 05-D-814. (Complaint 2)Complaint alleges that this judge gave preferential treatment to female party in divorce proceedings by setting a $600/month alimony payment with no termination date (despite fact that female party is college-educated and in good health). Also, although male party in this case was awarded custody of child, the female party was ordered to pay child support for only two years, without enforcing payment of child support arrears (as is usually the case when a male is the non-custodial parent); complaint further alleges that this judge also did not order female party to pay any other expenses customary in such cases. (Complaint 3)Complaint alleges that Judge Lewis gave preferential treatment to a female in spousal support case by refusing to adjust alimony of complainant who became unemployed. Complainant claims that despite the fact that his ex-wife is in a superior financial position, Judge Lewis told him to maintain current level of spousal support by holding down two jobs.
Update: Judge Alexi Otis-Lewis will be retired as of Dec. 31, 2008, according to the following link from "Career Builder". Complaints against her registered here will remain online.

Kentucky

Judge Name	County	# of complaints
D. Michael "Mickey" Foellger	Campbell	*
Details: For his policies of forced sterilization, this judge is listed on our Worst Judge's Page.

Michigan

Judge Name	County	# of complaints
John Gadola	Genesee	1
Details: Complaint alleges this judges engaged in impartial behavior in a custody case; complaint further alleges that this judge, on multiple occasions, did not show up for scheduled hearings after causing the complainant to travel from South Carolina to Michigan.

Minnesota

Judge Name	County	# of complaints
Martha M. Simonett	Dakota	1
Details: Awarded car to complainant's ex-spouse although she did not possess a driver's license.

Michael Sovis	Dakota	1
Details: Modified court transcript, ignored possible immigration fraud, ordered excessive child support.
Update: On August 12, 2008, Judge Michael Sovis was officially reprimanded for inappropriate behavior. Read the following news clip from "The Minnesota Lawyer Blog": "Tuesday, August 12, 2008. Judge Michael Sovis reprimanded, Fined" "First Judicial District Judge Michael Sovis has been publicly reprimanded by the Board on Judicial Standards and fined $1000 for improper treatment of a member of the public who was engaged in a dispute with a friend of Sovis and Sovis’ spouse. According to the board, Sovis personally instituted contempt proceedings against the man and personally ordered him arrested. The board stated that Sovis did not advise the man that he had the right to an attorney or a trial." "The Board concluded that Judge Sovis’ actions were contrary to the Minnesota Code on Judicial Conduct, Canons 1, 2A, 2B, 3A(4) 3A(5), 3A(7), 3A(9),3D(1) and Canon 4A, as well as the Rules of the Board on Judicial Standards, Rules 4(a)(5) and (6). The board said that Sovis’ conduct did not uphold the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary, gave the appearance of impropriety, violated his duty of impartiality, did not conduct his extra-judicial activities in a way that did not conflict with his judicial obligations, and engaged in conduct that brings the judicial office into disrepute."

Mississippi

Judge Name	County	# of complaints
John S. Grant	Rankin	1
Details: Complaint alleges that this judge showed impartiality to (former) custodial mother by ordering a father to pay back due child support even though the child in the case was removed from his mother's care by the Rankin County Juvenile Court in September 2006. After this date, complaint further alleges that this judge gave the father no credit for expenses or financial consideration for the child. Complaint further alleges that this judge ordered the father to continue paying half of his ex-wife's house payments even after learning that the ex-wife was cohabitating with another man.

New Jersey

Judge Name	County	# of complaints
Glenn Berman	Middlesex	2
Details: (Complaint 1) Complaint alleges that this judge was biased in favor of a 27-year-old female family law attorney who was involved in a custody-support case against a 19-year-old college-bound student. Complaint further alleges that this judge set a child support order at a level inconsistent with the non-custodial parent/student's earnings; that he ignored the non-custodial parent/student's request for a court-appointed attorney although this judge was aware that the other party in the case was a family law attorney; and that this judge was verbally abusive and told non-custodial parent student he had "no right to an education". (Complaint 2) Complaint alleges that this judge created a conflict of interest in a divorce case by knowingly placing himself on a case where a friend and sister of a fellow judge was involved. Complaint further alleges that this judge dispensed an unfair settlement in this case by ordering the highest amount of child support and alimony against complainant, and awarding complainant's ex two-thirds of their house. Complainant also alleges that this judge gave his ex-wife "every advantage" in court because of his involvement with his fellow judge."
ADDITIONAL: In 2001, Judge Glenn Berman was on a brief leave from the bench to serve as Middlesex County prosecutor. During that time, his office was sued by Middlesex County employees in three law separate suits for sexism, racial discrimination, and for the wrongful dismissal of an assistant prosecutor. The following news clip appeared in The New York Times: "NEW BRUNSWICK: EMPLOYEES SUE PROSECUTOR -- A county investigator and a former assistant prosecutor say the Middlesex County prosecutor's office is a hostile workplace for women. A lawsuit by the investigator, Cora Cashman, and the former assistant, Joanne Mongon, closely follows two other suits against the office, which is headed by Prosecutor Glenn Berman. Those two involve Detective Richard Scott, who claimed he was passed over for promotions because he is black, and a former assistant prosecutor, Kenneth Lebrato, who said he was wrongly dismissed after being subpoenaed as a character witness on behalf of a police officer being tried by the office."(AP) " Anyone with more information about these lawsuits, please contact NCPForce! at judges@ncpforce.com.

F. Lee Forester	Mercer	*
Details: For the abuse of a U.S. Serviceman, this judge is listed on our Worst Judge's Page.

Stephan Hansbury	Morris	2
Details:(Complaint 1) Complaint alleges that this judge allowed a family evaluator to collude with complainant's opposing attorney and that he held exparte meetings with complainant's adversaries. Complaint further alleges that this judge (and some of his staff) made disparaging remarks about complainant's race and disabilities, and that he tampered with a recorded interview with complainant's son. (Complaint 2) Complaint alleges that this judge behaved impartially towards custodial parent who is the Chief of Police of a town within the county of case jurisdiction; the custodial parent is also related to the mayor of this town. Complaint further alleges that the impartial behavior of this judge is captured on an in-camera interview, and that this judge dismissed important evidence presented by non-custodial parent as "irrelevant". Complaint also alleges that this judge lied to the non-custodial concerning agreements made between adversarial parties; that he wrongly fined the non-custodial parent for speaking out in court; forced her to pay for the custodial parent's legal fees; and that he stripped the non-custodial parent of visitation rights.

Edward Jerejian	Bergen	1
Details: Complaint alleges that this judge ignored health issues of a diabetic non-custodial parent facing homelessness by ordering child support on par with a parent earning over $60,000 a year. Complainant claims that this judge has ignored letters from three separate doctors (which were entered into evidence) detailing ailments stemming from diabetes and other medical conditions which have made him unable to work.

Fred Keiser	Middlesex	*
Details: For his role in the death of a non-custodial parent, he is now listed on our Worst Judge's Page.

William J. McGovern, III	Sussex	2
Details:(Complaint 1) Complaint alleges this judge violated and overturned a Final Judgment of Divorce Decree; allowed malicious moveaway; cut parenting time in direct violation of court rules and statutes; awarded a non-valid child support order that was sufficiently above complainant's means; unfairly set child support by imputing a salary unsupported by income tax returns; ignores plea filings; refuses to enforce rights according to state statutes; degrades complainant verbally. (Complaint 2) Complaint alleges this judge refused to listen to evidence without just cause in a custody, visitation case; complaint further alleges this judge set child support at a level non-custodial parent had no ability to pay; that he recommended a disreputable family evaluator and had improper contact with complainant's opposing lawyer; that he violated the rules of professional conduct and judicial cannons by threatening complainant with broad powers.

New York

Judge Name	County	# of complaints
W. Dennis Duggan	Albany	*
Details: For being voted Worst Judge in New York state two years in a row (2008 and 2009) and 5th worst judge in the United States by readers of another judicial watch website, this judge is now listed on our Worst Judge's Page.
Robert J. Maine	Franklin	1
Details: Complaint alleges that this judge does not like women and wrongly splits up families. Complaint further alleges that this judge presided over a case in which there was a conflict of interest and wrongly sent a victim of domestic violence to a class for batterers. Complainant also alleges that when she went over this judges head to protest being sent to such a class, that she received a tongue lashing from this judge for doing so. Complainant also states that this judge does not care for the welfare of children in cases before him.

Ohio

Judge Name	County	# of complaints
David Berta	Lorain	1
Details: Fails to act in impartial manner; allowed fraudulently executed documents; violated civil rights.

Oklahoma

Judge Name	County	# of complaints
John Micheals	Garfield	1
Details: Complaint alleges a failure to act in impartial manner; ignored motions for visitation.

Texas

Judge Name	County	# of complaints
Vicki Isaacks	Denton	2
Details: (Complaint 1) Complaint alleges that this judge us biased in favor of mothers; complaint also alleges that this judge has a conflict of interest with her husband who is county's district attorney; complaint further alleges she has paid attorney friends hundreds of thousands of dollars out of public funds as "ad litem" fees in civil divorce cases. (Complaint 2) Complaint alleges that this judge held up a custody case for two and half years and split up the complainant's family by dividing the children between parents. Complaint further alleges that this judge did not order to pay child support once she lost custody of one of their children, despite the fact that the male complainant has been ordered to pay child support for the two children she still has in her care. Complaint also alleges that this judge, who is retiring, refused to hear cases in the last six months of her time on the bench."
Additional: This judge retired in January 2009. In February 2006, this judge was under scrutiny for improper travel with attorneys she had appointed multiple times to represent children in her courtroom. For details, read the following news clip at the Denton-Record Chronicle.

Dee Shipman	Denton	1
Details: Complaint alleges this judge allowed a child's out-of-state move away of over 900 miles, despite temporary orders and despite the fact that the custodial mother remained in state and placed the child in care of her relatives.

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