Today I received the excellent news that, in an historic move, the GAL Dr. Joan Oppenheim has been removed in the Sargent case.
A few days ago, Mr. Mark Sargent commented earlier in regard to the issues.
A few days ago, Mr. Mark Sargent commented earlier in regard to the issues.
"Today (November 21, 2013) we finished the hearing on my motion to remove Dr. Joan Oppenheim as guardian ad litem for the children in my post-judgment divorce action. Judge Munro had budgeted 1.5 hours for this second part of the hearing. We started at 9:30 and ended at 5 pm. The arguments were extremely intense.
My lawyer (Norm Pattis) demonstrated that Ms. Oppenheim had billed my family about $130,000, had repeatedly declined to communicate with me, had failed to respond to numerous letters and emails raising serious concerns about her ethics, professionalism, competence and judgment, and the risks to, and the harms that befell, my children during her supposed guardianship, and then managed to get Judge Emons to appoint a lawyer for HER (not the kids), at the family's expense, in response to my allegations against her, and then had her lawyer procure an order prohibiting me from contacting or being present with her w/o her lawyer's involvement (even though I have the kids nearly 24/7).
And most of the Stamford's court's orders were procured without notice, a hearing or evidence, and instead were given off-the-cuff at "status conferences."
By the end of it, Munro discussed out loud her concerns that Ms. Oppenheim couldn't possibly do her job when she wasn't communicating with a parent with sole legal custody who had the kids nearly all the time."
Given the seriousness of these abuses and the financial exploitation, it was crucial that Mr. Sargent succeed in this motion to remove the GAL. I am so relieved that I can now report a positive outcome to this difficult and trying situation.
All of us have to feel extremely grateful that Mr. Mark Sargent chose to take this courageous stand and fight back in the face of judicial abuse despite the costs to himself personally and the odds against success when facing the corrupt legal system which we currently have. This is just a first step, but I am greatly looking forward to further progress.
Also, congratulations go to Attorney Norm Pattis who clearly had his fingers on the pulse of this situation and proceeded to fight injustice as strongly and as powerfully as he is capable of doing.
To my knowledge this is the first time that a GAL has been removed from a case after litigants submitted complaints of wrongdoing to the Court. I would expect this to establish a precedent for future cases in which GALs abuse and defraud their clients.
Also, congratulations go to Attorney Norm Pattis who clearly had his fingers on the pulse of this situation and proceeded to fight injustice as strongly and as powerfully as he is capable of doing.
To my knowledge this is the first time that a GAL has been removed from a case after litigants submitted complaints of wrongdoing to the Court. I would expect this to establish a precedent for future cases in which GALs abuse and defraud their clients.
I have known Mark for twenty years. Mark is a wonderful father coping with an incredibly difficult situation that befell him through no fault of his own. This GAL specifically, and the Stamford courts generally, have put him through hell. I am a lawyer in Pennsylvania, and I have been appalled at what the Stamford courts have done to Mark and his children. I've never seen -- or even heard of -- anything like it. Shame on Joan Oppenheim and everyone else who has perpetrated this travesty.
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ReplyDeleteJoan Oppenheim has destroyed so many other lives by her greed. She's charged numerous families outrages amounts of money, hundreds of thousand dollars and always in the "childs best interest" and takes whatever the parent paying the most, as the truth, then prints it as if it is the truth and the courts rule on it as the truth. Destroying the credibility of the other parent, their relationship with their children, and the hope for their future with her lies. One day she will fall into the depths of hell with the other whores of the court. The pain she has caused innocent children is unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteThere is a place for child molesters, murderers , and Joan Oppenheim, it's called HELL ! This woman has destroyed so many families .NEVER HIRE HER.SHE IS A LIAR , THIEF, and dumb as a brick!!! God will deal with her for all the pain she has caused families across Fairfield county.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen or heard from my only child in 10 years because of PAS caused by Joan Oppenheim's negligence and lack of moral compass. Joan Oppenheim presented to the court nothing but lies and was paid nearly $500k to do so! Not once asking or researching if there was any truth to what she was writing up in multiple custody evaluations. That I was left in shock, traumatized an speechless unable to defend myself with long term PTSD, ruined credit, no income and devastated with grief for my only child. Joan Oppenheim is nothing but a greedy lying whore of the court who I will never forgive. She is what I would describe as evil.
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