PART IV: UWY-FA10-4022992-S, SHAWN TITTLE v. SUSAN SKIPP-TITTLE, JUDGE MUNRO GIVES SHAWN TITTLE A FREE RIDE!

It is interesting that Judge Lynda Munro's Memorandum of Decision dated October 16, 2012 doesn't mention anything about what led to the breakdown of the marriage.  This is quite striking because most memoranda of this kind usually include some commentary on the issue. 

 

I suspect Judge Munro didn't include any of that information because she wanted to present Susan Skipp's behavior out of context so that it would appear to be irrational. 

 

So let me rectify that omission and let you know what happened.  Apparently, Shawn Tittle was unfaithful to his ex wife with a considerable number of other women.  That, by the way, is deeply hurtful.  In my reading of various divorce cases, I find that nothing wounds more deeply than the discovery that your wife or husband has betrayed you. 

 

In addition, Susan Tittle states, "during our 11 years of marriage, my children and I were victims of physical, emotional, and mental abuse at the hands of my now ex-husband." 

 

Is this true? 

 

Dr. Sidney Horowitz, the childrens' psychologist was unwilling to take a position regarding this point.  Instead, in a letter to the GAL, he stated, "the children have been and continue to be at risk by the psychological noise in this family.  I do not know who is the proximate cause of this upset." 

 

In response to the accusations of domestic violence that Susan Skipp made against her ex husband, Dr. Horowitz stated that he could neither confirm or deny their accuracy.  In fact, in court testimony he provided on August 15, 2012, he stated "It may well be accurate."  Further, he stated, "I was not in a position to be able to support or refute any of the statements" that Susan Skipp made in regard to Shawn Tittle abusing her and the children.

 

However, it is worth noting that when the parties' Co-parent Manager, Dr. Howard Krieger billed to the insurance company for his services, the code he used was that for domestic violence. 

 

On a more personal level, I have been observing this case for pretty much two years now.  Every once in a while Susan Skipp has shown me copies of Shawn Tittle's emails.  Quite simply they are verbally abusive, i.e. rude, provocative, and insulting and deliberately so.  If there is one forum in which Shawn Tittle's complete immaturity and lack of character come to the forefront, it is in his emails. 

 

Of course, for anyone who is interested in knowing, this is a common tactic.  If you want sole custody what you do is speak so rudely to your ex that there is a complete breakdown of communication and then that alone is a justification for denying the other party any imput into the childrens' upbringing even though it is the abuser who created the breakdown of communication in the first place.  Susan may have written a whole lot of emails, but at least she was reasonably polite about it!  Of course, again, there is this imbalance of scrutiny. 

 

And this is a good point to pause and have a little strategy session.  If your ex sends you rude and abusive emails on a regular basis, do not respond in kind--ever.  What you do is consistently maintain an even tone in your emails, preface and end your emails with "please" and "thank you", and while you do not have to admit to mistakes you never committed in response to the steady stream of accusations you receive, you can always say, "I'm sorry there was a miscommunication."  "What can we do moving forward?"  and "I am sorry you feel that way." is a really, really good one because it sounds conciliatory, but is like a cat's claw across the cheek when it comes to passive aggressive value. 

 

I'll tell you something, I would have liked to see Shawn's emails presented to the the trial court as evidence of his abuse. 

 

And since we are discussing character, let me say that it did not impress me when I determined that at trial in August 2012, Shawn Tittle submitted a financial affidavit indicating that his income added up to $200.00 per week from his new medical practice and that he was largely having his new wife pay all of his bills. 

 

I am sorry, but I fail to believe that. 

 

There are only two explanations for these kinds of numbers.  One, he deliberately reduced his income artificially by not working very hard on his business, or two he chose not to apply for the many other employment opportunities that are available to him which would provide him with a considerable six digit income. 

 

Since litigants pull these kinds of tricks frequently when it comes to divorce proceedings, it seems to me any judge could see through the one Shawn Tittle pulled on his financial affidavit.  However, Judge Munro chose to overlook it, the same way that she overlooked all the other improprieties Shawn Tittle committed. 

 

He is excused from providing alimony and child support. 

 

He is excused from providing an accurate financial affidavit--what else? 

 

Actually, there is more. 

 

As with many women, since Susan Skipp continued to report on the continuing domestic violence she was experiencing, and would not shut up, Dr. Howard Krieger, the co-parent counselor, insisted upon giving Susan a mental health examination--this despite a doctor's letter indicating that Susan was still recovering from a car accident so the results might not be accurate. 

 

Sean Tittle, on the other hand, was excused from undergoing any mental health examination whatsoever.  Of course, in my view, an examination from Susan Skipp taken outside of the context of an equivalent examination of Shawn Tittle could not possibly provide the attorneys in this case fair and equitable access to information.   

 

Basically, Shawn Tittle was coddled and pampered throughout the process, and when it was done Judge Munro gave him a free ride to sole custody. 

 

What a joke!

RELATED ARTICLES:

http://divorceinconnecticut.blogspot.com/2013/02/uwy-fa10-4022991-s-shawn-tittle-v-susan.html

http://divorceinconnecticut.blogspot.com/2013/02/part-ii-uwy-fa10-4022992-s-shawn-tittle.html

http://divorceinconnecticut.blogspot.com/2013/02/part-iii-uwy-fa10-4022992-s-shawn.html

http://divorceinconnecticut.blogspot.com/2013/02/part-v-uwy-fa10-4022992-s-shawn-tittle.html