Thursday, March 22, 2012

Federal Lawsuits and Courtroom Intimidation Tactics debated


I imagine involved parents from the area, know the basic story line, some of its basics in this post.

WELL, Last Fall (2011) The FBI raided the Lackawanna County Courthouse, seeking paperwork on every case assigned to Guardian ad Litem Danielle Ross;


  • WNEP TV  "Family Court Lawsuit during Federal Investigation" Article.  This clip talks about insisting on payments in cash and serious overbilling ($65 for a $20/hr fee. no receipts possible) for supervised visitation (of a mother whose voice sounds like a mouse -- I'm wondering why she's on supervised visitation...).  There are few comments, and when I tried just now, the registration site certificate had expired -- in 2011...
Family Court Lawsuit During Federal Investigation





Family Court Lawsuit During Federal Investigation

While a federal investigation into the Lackawanna County's family court system continues, a Moscow man has filed suit against the court, the county, and the woman who runs a legal program that is supposed to look out for the interests of children in custody dispute

Tensions have obviously been running high, and one Judge Moyle apparently got seriously overstepping her authority, using county sheriffs (the no-OK-with-me Corrale) in early February, 2012 -- among the round-ups were some parents who'd  been protesting court abuse, and/or picketing it (lawfully) weekly, and publicizing some of the more serious concerns on Scranton Political Times, and it's now out, contacted the FBI about this situation.

One of these individuals didn't take the situation lying down, and filed a civil rights violation lawsuit at the federal level.  Bravo for her courage, and good luck with this!



Griffiths v. Lackawanna County et al

 as 3:2012cv00365


Plaintiff: Lindsey Anne Griffiths
Defendants: Lackawanna County, Corey D. O'Brien, James Wanzack, Patrick O'Malley, Lackawanna County Office of the Sheriff and others
Cause Of Action: Civil Rights Act

Another parent (not in that crowd, that I know of) filed a lawsuit on the same GAL, which then got pretty good local press (see "News2012" links, navy blue background, above):


(From JUSTIA dockets listing)

Stefanov v. Ross et al

Filed: March 15, 2012 as 3:2012cv00472
Plaintiff: Michael Stefanov 
Defendants: Danielle Ross, Court of Common Pleas of Lackawanna County and Lackawanna County
Cause Of Action: Civil Rights Act
Plaintiff:Michael Stefanov 
Defendants:Danielle Ross, Court of Common Pleas of Lackawanna County and Lackawanna County
Case Number:3:2012cv00472
Filed:March 15, 2012
Court:Pennsylvania Middle District Court
Office:Scranton         Office
County:Lackawanna
Presiding Judge:Unassigned2
Nature of Suit:Civil Rights - Other Civil Rights
As publicized:
  • The Times-Tribune: 

Federal lawsuit filed to dismantle Lackawanna County's guardian ad litem system 


A Moscow psychologist is asking a federal court judge to block Lackawanna County Court from using its system of appointing a third-party lawyer to look out for the interests of children in family court disputes, arguing the system is illegal and unconstitutional.
In a strongly worded, wide-ranging federal lawsuit filed Friday, Michael L. Stefanov, 40, contends the county's guardian ad litem, attorney Danielle M. Ross, repeatedly violated his constitutional rights in a long-running battle with his ex-wife over their son's custody, and the county and the court system let her get away with it.

(Not sure if this is a related article -- will check; sounds like a Luzerne County case)....
  • Judge Allows Additional Defendants in 'Kids-for-Cash' Civil Suit

    The Legal Intelligencer
    March 22, 2012
    A federal judge hearing arguments in the wake of the kids-for-cash scandal has allowed 45 new plaintiffs to enter the suit. 

  • The Legal Intelligencer:

    Lackawanna County Guardian Ad Litem Sued In Federal Court

    The Legal Intelligencer
    March 20, 2012
    A Lackawanna County man has sued the county's guardian ad litem in federal court, along with the Lackawanna County Common Pleas Court, alleging the family court's guardian program deprived litigants of constitutional rights and that the court's sole guardian "thoroughly misunderstood and misapplied her role."



  • Guardian Ad Litem Source of Conflict in Several Family Court Cases

    The Legal Intelligencer
    March 20, 2012
    Since attorney Danielle M. Ross became Lackawanna County's guardian ad litem in 2008, court records show that several litigants and their attorneys petitioned to have Ross removed from their cases



AND . . . . .and...

And -- less publicized in the Legal papers, but still filed in federal court, and related  by association to Ms. Ross:

 (probably related) incident, with a related federal lawsuit to match (see My Viewpoint, to left), when one walks into a courthouse to obtain forms, or to converse, or to support another individual, or for any other "I don't have a hearing today" business -- one should not end up behind a wall of sheriffs, doors blocked, and rounded up to be forced into a courtroom and interrogated by a judge! With or without the above-mentioned (and I gather, pictured) GAL in attendance.

In other words, WHAT??!!??$#@?? was that about? (post will show photographs of armed sheriffs blocking the exit door,  from waist down, the incident prompting the Griffiths lawsuit).


TOPIC: Is Danielle Ross intimidating witnesses?
From Scranton Political Times post by "and justice for all," 3/12/2012, under topic
(= earlier comments, with poster's response in blue):
Joanne Pilchesky wrote:

Does anyone know if Danielle Ross participated in the violation of civil rights situation that took place in Judge Moyle's courtroom last Friday?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blocking entrance to stairwell Sheriffs detain individuals on 2/12/2012 sometime around 2 pm.
This picture was taken on the second floor of Admin Bldg Family Court. Right near elevators across to entrance of Judge Moyle's courtroom.

And posted the day after the incident, by same username:

free republic wrote:

I heard that Judge Moyle and her tipstaff, lawclerk were present, maybe Donna from court family court admin, and that Ross and a court reporter were there, too.

That is accurate.
Danielle Ross, Donna Iannuzzo and Moyle's law clerk were present.

__________________
"Silence always helps the aggressor"   ~Ellie Wiesel~   Holocaust survivor of Auschwitz and Buchenwald Death Camps
~1986 Nobel Peace Prize Award ~ 


TOPIC: Is Danielle Ross intimidating witnesses (NO, an Associate -- Judge -- was, here!)


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