Monitors are back in the news again. I was sitting in Department 43 and I am noticing that there is a mother who is pro per and taking a real shellacking from a MINORs counsel. This MINORs counsel is doing everything that she can come up with to attack and discredit this woman, even using big words that caught me off guard. I have to say that the “other side” even with his lawyer looks like Central Casting for the “Addams Family.” Now I am as critical as they come when it comes to these pro pers, but to watch the beating Ms. Ponce was taking was as bad as it comes comes. Minors counsel could have tempered her comments and did not have to be so vicious, after all she is an officer of the court. The attack was pretty severe and I DO NOT THINK IT WAS JUSTIFIED from where I was sitting. I went out and spoke to Ms. Ponce and told her exactly what I felt as to what I heard and what I was watching, not good. I will also say that Judge Willet seemed to give this young and well-dressed female minors counsel a big box to stand on and even to correct “His Honor” on a section that he misquoted. Beauty and intelligence, a tough mix to beat.
The best part of Ms. Ponces comment came when it was asked or written in a document, “what was the court ordered monitor doing?” In response to when the child was being pushed by his father during visitation? Response: Eating and texting, at what $30, $50, ? per hour?
Hear me loud and clear, Monitors are a virus when it comes to your DIVORCE case, these nitwits are as bad as sand in the oil pan of your car! They are not impartial and will belly up to whoever can treat them better, they are generally a pitiful bunch who so want to be a “somebody” and quite frankly do not think many would pass any real close scrutiny. And what we are seeing are judges who will allow them to address the court in written reports and give live testimony! These people for the most part have NO TRAINING other than a 5-6 hour course they take to get the title, “monitor.” How this group has not been investigated by the Office of the Attorney General is beyond me based on just what I have witnessed and the false testimony given. Personally I am feeling that the judges do not always take what these people report with a “box of salt.” From my personal experience, many of these monitors are liars and cons all with the blessing of the court.
I can assure Judge Willet that when this monitor who was not IDd in court (I know who she is) does show up for her “15 minutes of fame” she will lie and paint the picture that the minors counsel wants. This is one of the worst abuses of DIVORCE court I have seen! Do not get me started again with minors counsel, they act as an investigator and not a lawyer most of the time. And do I have to remind the Superior Court of the “issues” that this group created at one time?
So what do I do, I stroll into Judge Trent Lewiss court and Judge Lewis is telling a pro per (male this time) that he is going to appoint Henry Stewart, and to have Mr. Stewart use one of his monitors, great! This is a huge money grab and these monitors are being paid lots and are little more than a glorified security guard that can ruin your life in DIVORCE court. This pro per was polite enough but was insulted and stated, “I am not going to pay someone so I can visit my child” and walked out of court. That move was likely the smartest thing this guy ever did since entering the “Twilight Zone” called DIVORCE and “Court-Ordered Supervised Visits.”
One site promotes that it uses only POST (police officers standard and training ), certified law enforcement officers. Really? Am I to believe that will make everything all better? Spare me once again, go and look for yourselves the requirements of 5.20 Rules of Court Judicial Administration Standards…there is absolutely no impartiality in the way these people conduct themselves and it will be you that pays the ultimate price of what some of these hustlers will do or say to endear themselves to one side or the other and worse yet, the court itself.
Using a monitor or having one forced upon you by the court is going to be a disaster in most cases (my opinion). Knowing what you know today and could go back in time, would you buy a ticket on the Titanic?
Straight Talk with John J. Nazarian, Private Investigator
December 18, 2011
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