Saturday, April 23, 2005

More on the Sad Story of Jerica Rhodes

Well the credits of Judge Bivona keep rolling on.

If only someone had thought to re-open the records of this man after this ruling to see how many other children were placed in dangerous situations due to this particular Judge NOT following New York State Law.

A seven year old might still be alive today.

It appears that just as he did seven years previously with Jerica Rhodes, Judge Bivona handed custody of a child over to a man found guilty of domestic abuse. Granted this time it was a teenager, who it was probably already too late to have much impact on, as her mother should have left years earlier…

Of course, Judge Bivona and his ilk are probably a large part of the reason this mother did NOT leave earlier, as she was probably held hostage in the relationship by threats of losing custody through a biased Judge, if she did leave.


"Panel Upsets Father’s Custody over Domestic Violence Issues
November 8, 2002
Byline: By Cerisse Anderson

Issuing a strong warning that judges must weigh the effect of domestic violence on children even when they are not the targets of violence, an appellate court has reversed an order granting a father custody of his teenage daughter.

The Appellate Division, Second Department, on Monday unanimously rejected as “sorely inadequate” Family Court Judge Andrew P. Bivona’s consideration of the father’s domestic violence history before awarding him custody of the now-16-year-old daughter two years ago."




Of course, this is a moot issue for the most part, as a 16 year old in our state is allowed to decide where to live, so this ruling changes nothing for the individuals involved. It just shows us what we already know: that the records of this particular Judge need to be re-opened and reviewed to see if other children (younger then this one obviously) who have no voice, are in dangerous situations due to him flouting the laws of New York State, which by the way are a reflection of the will of the people of New York State.


“Justice Sondra Miller, writing for the four-judge panel, noted that EXCEPT FOR THE ABUSE OF HIS WIFE, DAVID WISSINK APPEARED TO BE A ‘TRULY MODEL PARENT”…”


Sigh...


Clearly when we are dealing with this level of contradiction at the appellate division, it’s no wonder our lower court Judges are confused or feel they can get away with off-beat interpretations, as guidance needs to come from above. AND just for the record, in case there are those who do NOT understand YOU can NOT beat up your wife for years and then be considered a model parent…you just can’t. Whether or NOT the community or his daughter knew about it makes no difference.

The fact that neither might have known about it does NOT show me a model father, citizen or person but rather shows me a man who is very devious in nature and probably has done many other things that we don’t as yet know about. It doesn’t make him a model anything, but particularly sneaky, that’s all.

This comes back to another issue which I think women in their role as mothers needs to face, as much as we would like to avoid it. That issue is the total and utter uselessness of many of the professional women now functioning as Judges that we, other women, assisted to get into positions of power. These professionals, many of them officers of the court, have shown themselves to be weak sisters during this crisis mothers and their children have had thrust upon us and sadly, have been of little or no use throughout it.

Actually if we are going to be totally honest, female Judges appear to have morphed into bigger and more useless idiots then the patriarchs that we put them in to replace.

Thus they must be removed from these positions of power they currently occupy, so that the rest of them get the message, that just like very other interest group, women do not expect to put people into power and then get spit on by those very same people.

The only question is how to go about it discreetly enough so as to not discredit the entire women’movement…but there is no question in my mind that go, they must…

13 comments:

NYMOM said...

Regarding anonymous commenters.

I don't mind if you wish to comment anonymously but I do NOT want anonymous commenters using smart-aleck handles or vile language within the body of any posts.

I just had to erase an entire post and about four anonymous comments due to this sort of abuse of privilege. I don't mind discussing any issues, but I'm not going to allow you to post anything you feel like on this blog.

Thanks for your cooperation.

Anonymous said...

Hi Birdie:

I'm just testing to see if your login works.

Anonymous said...

That was me Birdie, NYMOM testing your login...

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Actually, it is not unusual at all for a child to side with an abuser. In fact, children often have more desperate bonds to abusive parents than non-abusive parents, because they feel more insecure. In addition, they often like to associate themselves with the one who is seen as the winner, not the victim. Plus, children often emulate, when they're not in fact being actively encouraged, to put down the abused parent. So the girl's behavior is not bizarre in the slightest; in fact, it's quite common.

The mother has quite a job trying to undo all this when the kid is already a teen and is already abuser-identified. With joint custody and all, it's getting more and more impossible for a battered woman to make a clean break and save kids from this fate. It's getting so that you just need to take the kid (while young) and make a run for it. Change your name, live underground if you have to.

NYMOM said...

This is true what you say.

I have often heard social workers say this as well...

Although this girl IS a teenager and was when her mother divorced so you would think she would have better sense by now...OR maybe she herself will just wind up repeating the cycle and having abusive b/fs until she marries one of them and then he morphs into an abusive husband...

Who knows...

BUT the issue is that it's too late for her really...the mother should have made her move earlier as in NY, children at the age of 16 ARE allowed to decide which parent to live with...

Sad but true.

Thus it's too late for this one girl...

However, we can have some impact on future children by focusing on this Judge and the system that produced HIM as well as his colleague who feels that an abusive spouse can possibly be a model parent...I have to wonder about an appellate Judge who thinks like that and puts those exact words in her ruling????

Hello...

It's really odd...

Regarding the lower court Judge, this is the SECOND identified time that he has done this...and I think we need to do something about THAT ISSUE.

Truthfully, I don't think it really qualifies as good advice to tell a mother to abduct her child and go underground...

The system itself MUST be corrected.

Anonymous said...

My son is now with his father. He and I were abused for many years. His father brainwashed him into thinking I did terrible things to him and I can't for the life of me understand why he would believe it. He's 13 and I've filed again for custody. I have my daughter but was railroaded into letting my son live with his dad. And Judge Bivona is very intimidating.

NYMOM said...

I'm sorry to hear this...

I wish you the best of luck in pursuing your custody case.

Anonymous said...

I was just in front of same Judge and have major issue with how this court system works and how the mental health evaluations are done. Maybe we can get together and change this system. Let me know if you are interested.

NYMOM said...

Well send me a private email to my email addresa nymom@womenasmothers.info and give me some of the details of your situation.

I have actually been looking for someone to help me out with the site and some other projects I had in mind...however with all the intimidation going on out there over these issues it has been difficult to find someone willing to assist...

Hope to hear from you soon...

Anonymous said...

Looking for victims in Orange County to filed a complaint. I see Andrew Bivona is one of the top players. Looking for information on law guardians, Judges and "special forensic experts"
It is time to expose these corrupt Officers of the Court
Please contact me at jailforjudges@gmail.com

NYMOM said...

Jailing judges is a simple solution to a complex problem, not that I don't agree that some of them should be in jail...

The problem is bigger then just the judges: it's evaluators, social workers, attorneys and yes even the police dept. as the officers who responded the first night to the domestic violence complaint in Jerica Rhodes case COULD have made a difference in the initial handling of the event...

Even the family members who lied to help Christopher Rhodes get custody should have been implicated...

So it's a whole range of people and issues that need to be addressed, not just ONE Judge.

Unknown said...

My wife and I are grandparents of a, just turned 7 year old boy. We have been raising him since he was a new born. His mother, our daughter, is a heroin addict. His father, also an addict, did 5 years for felony assualt. He robbed a woman at an ATM with a knife to her neck. When he was released early he was living with his parents, who had visitation with our grandson. At this time we had full custody over our grandson. Also living there was the other brother who was also out of jail on a domestic vilolence and endangering the welfare of a minor charge. We decided to stop the visitation until "we thought" Judge Bivona would set up supervised visitation and consuling for the father. Would you beleave that this judge and child advicate were so mad that we violated the visitation order, they took our grandson away and dumped him in a house with convicts?!!! We are so heart broken at this point. We have no faith left in the Orange County Family Court system. We have used up all our money and are still waiting for our appeal to be heard. We pray every day for our grandson's safety and well being. Our advise is to, no matter what, NEVER violate a court order. Even if you beleave it is a matter of a child's safety, especialy when going in front of Judge Bivona.

Anonymous said...

It does not surprise me. People do know you do vote this judge in, so orange county people need to petition to make sure he is voted out when his re-election comes. He awarded my exhusband custody of my daughter after he was found guilty for kidnapping her in the state of Alaska. Not to mention my 2nd husband is over 80k in arrears and he will not enforce the order at all. Thank God it is at a Federal Level and I can remove my case from the courts of New York who I hope to have better success. Its truly sad, but one thing about life it is full circle and god don't like ugly. May God have mercy on his soul as he will have to answer for the little babies lifes he destroyed and/or damaged due to his ill will towards women and children.