Let's Get Honest! Absolutely Uncommon Analysis of Family & Conciliation Courts' Operations, Practices, & History

Preview to minor updates:  I’m getting ready to quote this post (which contents came up on a basic Google Search for a certain AFCC Chapter EIN#…).  These days, I insert the full post title with a “short-link” (and notation of its closing letters, for my own use in linking one to another) into the posts, and typically enclose the whole post in a solid box as you see here:

A BIT about how it’s done — Corporations, Associations, and Changing the Courts through AFCC-based liaisons…. (first published 9/2*/2011*, somewhat reformatted 9/12**/2017**) with case-sensitive, word-press-generated post ending “-QJ”

FYI, my Table of Contents, although I worked on it a lot in 2017 and posted it on a “sticky post” near top of the blog, still does NOT go back so far as 2011. IN fact it only goes back to Sept. 24, 2012, as I recall.  This time, I did a “quickie-clean-up” to improve some of the visuals, but not a thorough one.  The 2011 text begins below the next line; the entire post remains under 10,000 words.  Thanks//LGH 9-12-2017.

There’s a lot of drama in the air these days [[Sept. 2011…]] about Presiding Judge Katherine Feinstein’s announcements about whether the courts will, or will not, stay open, and who gets laid off.In researching so many corporations, one thing I’ve come to conclude — that the California Secretary of State’s Corporations Business Entities Search  (“http://Kepler.SOS.ca.gov”), which shows this banner:

[[2017 update.  Although kepler.sos.ca.gov still does redirect, the current URL is:  “http://businesssearch.SOS.CA.Gov” and its layout (once you search) is somewhat different.]]

Is not intended for the general public to research almost anything.  There’s not even a field to search by EIN#, or by Incoporating/Registering Officer.  [[That part hasn’t changed!!]]

Today’s Post is “all over the place” but provides a sampler of how — with as clumsy tools as various states give — the habit of searching for corporations and people who incorporate them, and then comparing boards of directors, whether they actually file tax returns or not, and whether while the press is all about justice, children, and helping resolve conflicts, a view at the nonprofit characterization many times simply categorizes the group as “Board of Trade” “Business Promotion” — which is what it is.  [[…still provides valuable information. Sentence completed on 2017 update!//LGH]]

I apologize for the length, but not for showing you a different way to think about all the budget crises and cries that justice will be languishing (like it already wasn’t) — as well as showing you how very, very active certain types of professionals are when it comes to incorporating, dissolving or getting cancelled, starting again;  not to mention taking turns being the registered agent, and then going public to compliment someone else (on the nonprofit one shares directorship of) citing another professional relationship to add validity.

Along the way here, I also appear to have landed back in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania Family Court, where FAR too many roads seem to end up.   The local residents have caught on to this, thanks it appears, to actually one man, Joe Pilchesky who (judging from the forums) may have had a restraining order on him.  That doesn’t mean he can’t check facts and report on them, though!

I do not pretend this is a detailed roadmap — and it hasn’t even gotten, really, to the matter of judicial involvement in real estate transactions, LOTS of them, surrounding the courts, which is possibly even more to the heart of the matter than the nonprofits taking money from the courts.

It’s [this post is] about the VEHICLES for transfer of funds (and children) as well as the “spin.”  I am continuing to signal alerts about the situation in hopes that if I “wave” enough information out here, some people other than the groups tracking me to find out how much I’ve reported on them, may start to catch the connections.  Because I certainly don’t want this to become the next many years of MY life after all those in the court system.  it’s just that conscience, at some level, demands reporting . . . .. who to take at face value and who not.  Who is basically NOT anyone whose corporate/incorporate filings and financial connections haven’ been vetted, if they are holding public office, or “supporting” through their profession anyone else who is, or recently was.

AGAIN, in this economy, judges and mediators and psychologists (if they ever DO retire?) need retirement income as well, and someone else to reallocate (it’s habit-forming).  Why stop ruling the world and changing government just when you were getting so good at it?

With some apologies for actually posting this one:

Several others states have this, notably Florida, Georgia, you simply identify search by one of 3 categories (Corporation, LLC, or Entity# if you’re lucky enough to have it) and then key in a name, or part of a name:

To conduct a search:

• Select the applicable search type.
• Enter the entity name or number you wish to search. Note: If entering the entity number of a corporation, the number must begin with the letter C.
• Select the Search button.
• For help with searching an entity name or number, refer to Search Tips.

Search Type: 

Entity Name or Number:  

Disclaimer: This tool allows you to search the Secretary of State’s California Business Search database for abstracts of information for domestic stock, domestic nonprofit and qualified foreign corporations, limited liability companies and limited partnerships that have filed with this office. This search tool groups corporations separately from limited liability companies and limited partnerships and returns all entities for the search criteria in the respective groups regardless of the current status.

Although every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained in the database is accurate, the Secretary of State’s office is not responsible for any loss, consequence, or damage resulting directly or indirectly from reliance on the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of the information that is provided. All such information is provided “as is.” For information on ordering copies of the official business entity records for a particular entity, please refer to Information Requests.

Privacy Statement | Free Document Readers
Copyright © 2011    California Secretary of State

In Georgia, one can search by any of these categories:

Search
	By Business Name
	By Control No
	By Officer
	By Registered Agent
Verify
	Verify Certification
New Filing
	Click here to file online for:
	New Limited Liability Company (LLC)
	New Business Corporation
	New Non-Profit Corporation
	New Professional Corporation (PC)
Annual Registration
	Annual Registration
Name Reservation
	File Name Reservation Online
Online Orders
	Register for Online Orders
	Order Certificate of Existence
	Order Certified Documents

And under them, choose

FLORIDA Dept of State, Division of Corporations boasts:

Corporations

Division DirectorJay Kassees

The Division of Corporations is the State’s central location for the filing of business entities, trade and service marks, judgment liens, and fictitious name and lien registrations. In essence, the Division provides a statewide registry and information resource for almost all business activity in Florida.

Although these filing functions are found in every state, the Division maintains the reputation of being the most innovative in the nation. Over the past decade, the Division has: pioneered the integration of its data bases with in-house automated filing systems, an electronic filing service, and created the first online public access network in the country – www.sunbiz.org – that increased public accessibility to Division records by 75 percent.

Sunbiz.org really is helpful, too, and among its various searches, there are two levels of drop-downs, so I can search by Fictitious name, EIN, person, status of incorporation, and thereafter look at some documents in a viewer.

[[SUNBIZ.org remains a very useful site.  I appreciate it’s provision of many uploads, showing the EIN#, and many different types of searches, to this day..//LGH Sep. 2017 update]]

Massachusetts allows searches by Entity Name, Identification Number (they mean FEIN/EIN), and a person’s First, Middle, Last name, plus filing #.  Thus, if I remember the name of a certain court-associated professional from Massachusetts (I chose one that happened to be head of the AFCC chapter) it can just be typed in to see if they are a multiple-incorporator.  This person wasn’t, which is good, because he’s a very busy professional.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division One Ashburton Place, 17th floor Boston, MA 02108-1512 Telephone: (617) 727-9640

Public Browse and Search – Entity Results

Help with this form

Too many directors to fit on one page.

Then a look at the filings would quickly lead to date of incorporation (articles of organization) in a simple, viewable format: (links may expire, which is why I’m narrating the path I took this time)

“ALL FILINGS“( highlight at bottom, then click “View Filings”) leads to a simple chart with these columns, including “year filed”) and even the page length of each pdf.

http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/corp/corpsearch/CorpSearchFormList.asp?SearchType=E

The articles of incorporation are interesting reading, but as this is a chapter of AFCC, I guess you’d have to go to Wisconsin to read theirs on-line.

However, the Massachusetts chapter, of interest to me because I know that Massachusetts courts actually have a direct link to AFCC on their Resources page (in two places), and some of the professionals that show up as directors on this AFCC were a not-too distant major victory (for PAS-promoters) in a New Hampshire jurisdiction.  (Peggie Ward, David Medoff, I THINK, and a third one was called in by one of the others.//LGH)

Then one can simply look up who else is incorporating in-state.  For example, Peggie Ward (see my series on Parenting Coordination):

This nonprofit has a few other Massachusetts AFCC personnel among its directors, one from Palo Alto, CA:  I’m deleting the street addresses, but for someone researching corporations and nonprofits, they are important, i.e., which ones are coming from the same address, or what does it signify when the street address is a public building, such as a courthouse, etc.

Or, pick a judge and search what corporations they are on, also, for example The Hon. Gail L. Perlman apparently just retired this spring from Probate and Family Court (one day before turning 70), and has some corporation activity:

Dispute Mediation, Inc. was around  for just over 9 years….

Friends of Justice (with attorney board of directors) also around approximately 9 years:

And (judging by one of its boardmembers’ activities) appears to relate to http://www.mhlac.org/Past_Trainings-2008-2011.htm

there’s also (same address, which again, I xx’d out here): which it seems to me is a business related to the courts….and a nonprofit.

But this one?

This is registered as a charity also and has been around for a long time (incorporated in 1973)

Row	Name of Charitable Organization	AG Account Number	FEIN
1	WESTERN MASS CORRECTIONAL RESOURCE CENTER	004030	23-7353839

(formerly Hampshire Correctional Service; the address is a 5-bedroom/5-bath condo).   Like many judges, The Hon. Gail Perlman was also teaching as well; here in a course on Guardian ad Litems, along with Linda S. Fidnick (also Board of Directors MA chapter of AFCC) and David G. Sacks (found through simple google search on name)
Who is that group?  I found a “Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center,” in Chicopee, MASS, photos here:

or a glitzy description & photo from STV, Inc., a firm that helped with the engineering:

Justice and Institutional | Correctional Facilities  Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center (Hampden County, MA)
described:

STV provided architectural design, civil engineering and construction administration services for the design-build construction of this 90,000-sf women’s correctional facility. The new three-story building houses 300 female inmates, with the ability to double in size if need be. The project involved close coordination and communication with the City of Chicopee, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office.

NOTE:  I realize this is not the same group — but where are the filings for the NONprofit EIN# that our retired judge is a board member of?

Not on typical data bases, and when I typed in a simple search for “EIN# 237353839” one link’s description related:

Organization that did not respond to an IRS CP 140 notice requesting information on its continued exempt status believing the name to be “Western Massachusetts Correctional House of Correction,” assets $50million+ (unlikely) and in the business of “rehabilitating convicts or ex”

(Which is indeed the local jail)

The Hampshire County Jail and House of Correction is located at 205 Rocky Hill Road in Northampton, Massachusetts. The current Hampshire Jail and House of Correction replaced a small Civil War Era facility which was located in Northampton center. The institution was completed and occupied in 1985 on a site 2 miles northwest of Northampton center. The Facility was originally designed to house 148 inmates. As an aide to overcrowding in the State prison system, a 100 bed modular building was erected in 1988, increasing the total to 248.

OK…..

Guardian Ad Litem Practice 
in Family Court (Massachusetts) [[course was held in fall 2002]]

This interdisciplinary program, presented by judges and prominent practitioners from the fields of law, psychology and social work provides both legal and clinical foundations for Guardian ad Litem practice in a range of matters, including domestic relations, child abuse and neglect. Attend and gain insight into the mechanics of the Guardian ad Litem appointment. Participants will have an opportunity to share practice tips. Complex issues such as high conflict families and Parenting Coordinators will also be discussed. These sessions will cover some of the difficult issues, which you face in your Guardian ad Litem practice. In its entirety, this comprehensive course satisfies the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court Department’s professional development requirements for Category E, F & G.

Notice the terminology plugs for “high conflict families” and “parenting coordinators” and no mention of domestic violence, which children are likely to witness and (like conflict) affects them.

One module presented by 2 judges and an attorney:

• Legal custody
• Best interests
• Removal
• Change of circumstances
• Judicial Commentary

Linda S. Fidnick, Esq., Honorable Gail L. Perlman & Honorable David G. Sacks

(To be honest, I’m kind of picking on this particular judge because of the Kids’ First situation in Kentucky/Pennsylvania — which even the local people are coming to understand is a cash cow for the courts and whoever the courts direct business to, whether or not they can spell.  Also search my blog for “Kids First.”

LACKAWANNA COUNTY FAMILY JUDGES SENDING CASES TO PSYCHOLOGIST FOR A SMALL FEE OF 1,500$ CAN YOU SMELL COROPTIUN??? [[sic]]	Printer Friendly
IF YOU ARE HAVING A CUSTODY PROBLEM OR ISSUE OUR GREAT LACKAWANNA FAMILY COURT JUDGES ARE SENDING PEOPLE TO PSYCHOLOGISTS, THE FEE IS 1,500$ PER PARENT AND 750$ PER CHILD, AND NO YOU CANT GO TO SCRANTON CATHOLIC SERVICES WHERE IS FREE OR A SMALL FEE, THE CORRUPT MASTERMINDS BEHIND THIS RIP OFF ARE THE CORRUPT MORON RECENTLY RETIRED JUDGE O’MALLEY AND MUNLEY, THEY SEND YOU TO DR.RONALD J REFICE OFFICE IN DICKSON CITY, WHERE FOR THESE CASES THEY DO NOT ACCEPT ANY KIND OF INSURANCES, CASH ONLY LIKE I SAID CASH ONLY OR CHECK, NO FAMILY HEALTH COVERS THAT OR MEDICARE, THERE IS 2 VISITS THAT DR.REFICE DOES HIS EVALUATION THEY LAST ABOUT ONE HOUR EACH SO IT COSTS 1,500$ FOR 2 HOUR OF SERVICES IF YOU WANNA CALL THAT, AND WHEN THAT MORAN REFICE IS CALLED TO COURT TO TESTIFY HE CHARGES AN ADDITIONAL 350$, CAN SOMEONE SMELL COROPTIUN????????????? I SURELY CAN

(to which the next comment added, “I can at least spell it!”)  and someone who can spell noted:

Since 2000, I have had EIGHT psych evaluations. Typically what happens is the the more litiganous party petitions the Court to Order the other party to submit to an evaluation.

A custody evaluation is more comprehensive and involves usually both parents and also the children. They are usually Ordered by the Court in high conflict custody litigation cases.

The fee that Dr. Refice charges is actually within the range that other psychologists charge for both types of evaluations. I initally was ordered to have a psychological evaluation done by him after my ex petitioned the court to order me to get the evaluation (what’s a matter Alex, can’t get anyone to say that me and the kids shouldn’t be together more??!? Keeps backfiring on you doesn’t it!). Then I petitioned the court to order a custody evaluation to be done by Dr. Refice. Of course my ex wouldn’t agree to it but, thankfully it was Ordered and the custody evaluation was done.

Dr. Refice recommended that I have substaintially more time with my children. The evaluation was filed but not yet made a part of the record. That was in 2008. Whenever anything that is court ordered ends up being in favor of me and my children being together more, it becomes almost impossible to obtain a hearing or have a conference. Instead what happens is that my ex obtains continuances upon continuances and then finds and exaggerates or creates reasons to file Contempt Petitions or Petitions for Emergency Special Relief or just calls the GAL up and they go off to the Judge and have an ex-parte hearing.

As far as Dr. Refice’s evaluation, I thought it was thorough, he did more testing than anyother psychologist that I had been evaluated by and his fee was in line with other evaluator’s fees. 

Here’s a little more extended conversation on a certain GAL getting all the cases, fairly typical activity  what they are not “getting” is the coordinating organization that enables this, which is (I still say), the AFCC.  This conversation mentions a Judge Chester Harhut — who I don’t know.  BUT, one look at the description, and it’s also clearly an activist AFCC style judge.  Before showing his site, I found it on this site:

At “CHILD SUPPORT AND THE COURT” (problemsolving courts for child support!)  (reading the front page, a North Carolina judge (native to Kansas) who got an SIP award is featured.  The problem they are solving is “child support” but the terminology can be transferred to almost anything, so long as funds are available:

The Child Support and the Court website hosts a wide variety of materials contributed by practitioners of problem solving courts for child support.

That’s a new one on me.  I guess ‘fathering courts” was getting over-used….

Its goal is to help judges, child support agencies, and community partners plan, implement, and evaluate problem solving courts for child support in their jurisdictions to improve outcomes for children and families in their communities.

(how to further outsource any remaining judicial processes, and the protections that should go with them…..)  This is a “THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS” concept.

This website is a valuable resource for:

• Judges, magistrates, and other members of the judiciary hearing child support enforcement cases
• Administrative Office of the Courts personnel supporting a child support docket
• State and tribal Child Support Enforcement (IV-D) Directors
• Child support agency directors and case workers
• Attorneys representing child support agencies and parents with child support cases

• Community-based organizations offering services to parents with child support orders, including employment skills, job placement, education, mediation [AFCC subject matter ], access to visitation [CRC & SVN subject matter], and substance abuse treatment.

I gather the people (judges) in this photograph all want to help, how helpful:  “National Judicial Child Support Task Force.”

This page is meant to serve as a resource for those who want to come into contact with professionals in their area who have experience with child support, alternatives to incarceration, and breaking the cycle of recidivism. All people pictured below are more than willing to lend their assistance and expertise to you in implementing the ideas discussed on this website. Please do not hesitate to contact them. Click on the photo for more information about the person pictured.   {{I notice that there is a space for “Michael Hayes” of Texas to come.  That’s important, because in the field of child support, fatherhood promoters positioned in the Attorney General’s Office are seriously under-represented, right?)

The word “RESOURCE” is always prevalent.  It’s just a resource — on how to change the court system and involve more people in it, none (of course) who have any financial conflicts of interest in the matter, and only some of who have to legally file public statements disclosing what those conflicts of interest ARE:

The judge mentioned in the “Scranton Political times” (on-line forum moderator? Joe Pilchesky) s a typical activist judge and has been in place 20? years (or at least was re-appointed for a 10-year stint):

The Hon Chester Harhut, Scranton, PA:  Child Support & the Court Speakers’ Bureau

Governor Robert P. Casey appointed Chester T. Harhut to the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas on April 30, 1987. In November 1987, he was retained for an additional ten (10) year term. He served as a trial judge until January 1996 when he assumed administrative and judicial responsibility for the newly created Family Court. He continues to serve in that capacity and in October 2000, he became President Judge of the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas.

. . . {{Family Court in Pennsylvania was created, it seems, around the time of welfare reform, which freed up some funding to promote marriage, mediation, supervised visitation, parent education & counseling, through the child support system and allegedly to reduce poverty and the welfare rolls.}}

He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges; (NCJFCJ, major nonprofit out of Reno, Nevada and one of the main “resource centers” in the family law field) Board of Directors, Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network; and Dean’s Advisory Board, Wilkes University School of Law.

He is a member of the National Judicial-Child Support Task Force, the Pennsylvania Commission for Justice Initiatives,** Department of Public Welfare Integrated Children’s Service Advisory Committee and the County Commissioners’ Association of Pennsylvania.

** this 2004-created 23-member commission had a whopping TWO members of the public on a task force which intended to be more responsive to the public.

(note:  the child & fatherhood commissions in Pennsylvania were already in place).  a 2002 Task Force Report from the DHS (for Iowa) commends several other states for their statewide Fatherhood Commissions, or Initiatives.    “Of the fourteen states contacted, four reported they currently have a Commission for Responsible Fatherhood (MA, FL, MD as of 10/01, and NC) and four have Fatherhood Initiatives (PA, TX, CT, VA).” (This being a 9 year old report).

In his role as Family Court Judge and President Judge, Judge Harhut moved to integrate human services, mental health and drug and alcohol treatment into the legal setting with the objective of alleviating conflict while helping families achieve a permanent solution to family issues. He established a categorical system of conflict with concomitant programming and services to help families in each level of conflict. The theory is . . . .

That right there is your AFCC indicator — re-arranging governmental components, welcoming mental health professionals in, and believing that the real problem is “conflict” and not violations of law, court orders, or due process.   As it says, “the theory is.” . . . . .  the other AFCC indicator being that it’s “OK” to test theories with live human subjects, even after prior tests results in dramatic deaths.

More of the discussion from Lackawanna County, PA, which again I only found by looking at a Kentucky courtroom.  Such is the wonder of the internet!  I blogged this before; there are further on-line comments…..

There’s a program in the divorce system that is making it mandatory for parents to appear for four hours at $30 a clip. It’s calledKids First. For $30, a nice fella by the name of Dr. Muklewicz will explain to you how upset your kids are going to be because you won’t piss away the rest of your life by staying married to someone you’d just as soon see dragged from here to Philly behind a semi. I’m being facetious, of course, sort of.

At any rate, now we’re being ordered by the court to spend $30 over and beyond what lawyers are charging for divorce these days, which can be plenty depending on the resistance factors.

Or, are we being ordered by someone with no jurisdiction over us to order us to appear anywhere for any reason. I’ve posted a Kids First document below that uses the language, “You have been COURT ORDERED to attend class”.

Interesting stuff. I’m curious as to who assumes the authority to order parents to attend these programs, which doesn’t mean I disagree with the program. It appears to be beneficial, but at $30 a pop times the 70 parents that show up for these classes, it seems someone is harvesting a nice payday for the evening. That would seem to be Dr. Muklewicz. How was he hired? Who did he know? He’s out of LJC, where Family Court Judge Harhut is on the board.  Was this something bid out? Lots of questions, as usual. I sent this RTK letter to see if I could get some answers. I’ll send another if necessary.

One commentator actually linked to at Texas AFCC conference in describing the person (Muklewicz) who runs “Kids First” but they are not talking about AFCC like I do:

Dr. Chet Muklewicz is a psychologist from
Pennsylvania who maintains a private practice
providing couples with counseling, family therapy for
divorcing families, divorce adjustment therapy for
children and adults, child custody mediation, custody
evaluation and post divorce co-parent coordination.
Dr. Muklewicz provides training to legal and mental
health professional throughout the United States.
Over 10,000 parents have attended his educational
program which he developed for divorcing families
called kids First and he is the author of Kids First:
Children Coping with Divorce and Family Conflict.
He is also the co-author of the Parenting Plan
workbook called Kids First Parenting Plan: A Child
Care Planning Guide for Separating and Divorcing
Families. Dr. Muklewicz established and has
maintained the Kids First program in Pennsylvania
for over 10 years which provides mandated training to
divorcing families. He is an excellent speaker and has
wonderful ideas on how to reduce conflict

and this one mentions “Termini” who is Ann Marie Termini, running “Cooperative Parenting Institute” Same idea, different person:

The kids first program is a ridiculous waste of time and worry that preys on people with threats of contempt. I had to go about 13 years ago (guessing at timeframe) as my ex tried to increase his custody hour by hour. It’s a weird game of suing for full custody when you only want an hour more and the lawyers drag it into a drama moneygrabbing event. The goal of the program is supposed to be to lessen your appearances before a judge/master. Quite frankly, it would be better suited to the spouse who keeps the legal battle up for no reason. $30 a pop and the room was filled to capacity. I’m guessing about 60 people (paying lawyers all along the process too, mind you). 13 more years of that after me…big money.

Your money paid buys you a cartoon like book also which everyone tosses into trunk until it’s time to sell the car then gets trashed. It was simply one of those really bad seminars that never gets to the point but circles around and around and breaks for coffee and cigarettes in the stairwell. 

Judge Harhut is the King of Creepy Judges w/ God complexes and takes some kind of sick pleasure out of terrifying parents…yes really. Money involved…big money.

And better yet, as the “next step” to Kids First, I was subject to court ordered mediation with a psychologist named Libassi who should be forbidden to practice. Not sure if he is around any longer.

Last I looked, his mediation was written into the forms filed for custody, including modifying custody!  Pay up first, or face criminal sanctions (see my blog).

Long story short, I ended up taping each session to protect my interests (with his approval given quite reluctantly) as the “Dads are great, Moms suck” raging screaming lunatic routine from this rather large but peabrained man went wildly out of control in a bizarre hero worship of my former spouse. Another psychologist assigned is Termini, who I must admit, did help in a pure objective way when I was finally able to get loose from the other one. Yes, money involved…big money.

Yea, I was such a bad parent that my kids grew up “good people”, clean, compassionate, smart (honors and Deans list) adults with really good heads on their shoulders.

KIDS FIRST-money scam

OK, this is getting rather long, but to explain why among all the AFCC people on the Board of Directors (Massachusetts chapter), one reason Perlman came up was THIS, from “KIDS FIRST” (which they are talking about, above):  They also note that it was Judge Harhut who brought in the person they are complaining about, and that Harhut also sat on the Board of DIrectors for the community college out of which Kids First is run (check facts yourself).

I sent a RTK letter to the county and got no response, so I followed it up with another, directing the second request to a different county office. I finally got a response that included a lot of info on the program and a copy of the contract between the county and Dr. Muklewicz. CLICK HERE to see the documents I received.

This is a professional service, so it’s not necessary to go out to bid, not that the county did or did not. I’m unaware of that.

I plan to file an appeal to this response, because the county did not give me all of information I believe it should have.

A little reminder:  “Kids for Cash” happened in Luzerne County, PA. . . .  Lackawanna split off from Luzerne, forming the youngest PA county (1878):

Lackawanna County is the youngest of Pennsylvania’s 67 Counties, having been formed in 1878 from part of Luzerne County after a long dispute. Despite its relative youth, Lackawanna County has played a large role in not only the development of the State and Country, but also the world.

Maybe they still share some of the same ideas and practices, i.e., investing in correctional facilities and then sending kids to them improperly — i.e., RICO

ANYHOW — at KIDSFIRST.cc one can find several books advertised, including the cartoon-like one at the top, and a little more seriously polished ones, such as:  [[Image no longer available at the link]]

The testimonials pictured are from what looks like 3 different sources:  Andrew Scheperd (sp?), of Hofstra, Phil Beshard (sp? I think it should be “Bushard”) of AFCC, and Hon. Arline Rotman, Associate Justice, of Boston Family Court,  and it is by Philip Stahl.  In fact, ALL of these are AFCC, and Arline Rotman on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts chapter (I DNR if current or founding).

2017 update:  here’s the pdf to the founding doc’ts from MA chapter of AFCC (the year is 2002), and I’ll display an image of the first page (a technique I didn’t have in 2011).  Arline Rotman was one of the originals on this pdf:

(The url at top, in browser window, simply shows it’s from that MA Corp. search website). Click on image to enlarge if needed; click on nearby pdf to read the other 7 pp..

The Mass Chapter of AFCC Inc Articles of Org (2002 filing, 8pages, viewed from state website 2017Sep12)

[continuing text from 9/2/2011 post…]

As are (from other books on the site) Isolini Ricci, Richard Warshak, and we did just point out, Chet Muklewicz — all are heavily AFCC.   They refer to each other’s various connections with an appearance that the whole world (or the important parts of it) endorses these books and theories.

Professionals maintain more than one type of membership and position, accordingly when it’s useful, an AFCC member will cite their (“his or her,” sorry) other position or membership to give an appearance of more diversity.  For example, in this one, Peter Salem (cf. Andrew Scheperd, above) is referred to an AFCC person, and The Hon. Arline Rotman as if not on an AFCC “Shared Parenting Brochure” [<==broken link as of 2017] this brochure is found linked to on the state’s descriptive page for Family & Probate Courts, i.e., MASS.GOV.COURTS

In addition to the committee members, special thanks go to Chief Justice Dunphy, Dr. Linda Cavallero, AFCC-MA President; Mary Ferriter, AFCC Treasurer; and Peter Salem, AFCC Executive Director, for their insightful comments, as well as their editorial and technical assistance.

Hon. Arline S. Rotman (ret.), Chair

Here are several descriptors of Hon. Arline Rotman, in an on-line abstract about “Child Custody Litigation:  Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse.” (2007), with Leslie Drozd and Kathryn Kuehnle.

The Hon. Arline S. Rotman (ret.) was a probate and family court judge in Massachusetts for 12 years prior to her retirement in 2000. Before her judicial appointment, she practiced law, concentrating her practice in family law. Since her retirement, she provides dispute resolution services in all matters of family conflict, including mediation, arbitration, and parenting coordination. She is a past president of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and a member of various bar associations.

Leslie Drozd (AFCC) maintains several memberships:

Memberships 39 Orange County Psychological Association 40 California State Psychological Association. 41 American Psychological Association, Div. 35(Women’s Studies), 40(Clinical), 41(Forensic),43(Family), 52 (Addictions). 42 Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. 43

as does Kathryn Kuehnle:

Dr. Kuehnle is the past president of the Florida Psychological Association’s Division of Children, Adolescents, and Families; past Ethics Chair of the Florida Psychological Association; and was appointed by the Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice to serve as a member of the Family Court Steering Committee.**  She was appointed to serve on the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) Child Custody Standards Task Force, and assisted in the development of the AFCC Model Standards of Practice for Child Custody Evaluation (2006). Dr. Kuehnle was appointed by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges to be a national trainer for the new judicial domestic violence handbook Navigating Custody & Visitation Evaluations in cases with Domestic Violence: A Judge’s Guide.

**AFCC members are sometimes on state supreme courts.  This happened in Texas (Debra Lehrman) and I’m pretty sure also in Florida (I believe Justice Barbara Pariente).  I don’t know who appointed Dr. Kuehnle, but it’s hardly surprising when members appoint each other to various committees, and there after “steer” things in a particular direction for the courts.

Here is The Hon. Barbara J. Pariente as keynote speaker in Florida AFCC, (2005) with a list of other Board Members, titled “Resolving Family Conflicts:  Innovations, Initiatives, and Advanced Skills”

FL AFCC describes itself, and AFCC as:

What is FLAFCC?

Florida AFCC is a statewide chapter of the international organization of AFCC, an association of family, court and community professionals dedicated to the constructive resolution of family disputes. Florida AFCC members have a unique opportunity to exchange information and expertise with a worldwide network of judges, lawyers, mediators, mental health professionals, court administrators, accountants, educators, social workers, researchers and other professionals involved in family law. AFCC members are on the cutting edge, developing and refining innovative interdisciplinary techniques and programs for children and families around the world. By joining FLAFCC, you will have access to state and international training programs to learn about these interventions and how they can benefit families and children involved in the Florida legal system.

Actually, it seems that one reason the Florida branch was opened was to complete pushing through Parenting Coordination.  And I do not believe that parents in litigation, in general, share the same glowing view of the professionals determined to stop conflict, in fact, increasingly they report — but reporting on individuals — such things as bias, and (as I noted above in Pennsylvania) what appear to be kids-for-cash and other types of racketeering, or forced-consumption-of-our-products operations.

I note that a Judge Hugh Starnes of Fort Myers was formerly president of FL-AFCC.  I note that he also participates in a nonprofit of family law professionals I was asked to look at, and voila — they don’t file annual returns or pay taxes? properly either.  That seems to be routine.

Here’s a positive spin on the Association of Family Law Professionals, and apparently ongoing series on Judge Starnes:  “A Walk Through Time:  Part III” (June 16, 2009)  I really hope you read this page, including how a woman who murdered another woman was exonerated because she really did have MPD (Multiple Personality Disorders), attorneys agreeing to turn a murder trial into a competency non-jury trial, add some hypnosis, and do not make a mental note that the physical person who committed the murder and had all these problems had been forced into child prostitution!

All the evidence placed Maxwell in the guilty seat, but her young public defender had a different argument. He had just seen the movie “The Many Faces of Eve” which was about a woman who had multiple personality disorder. The public defender was confident that his client was also suffering from this disorder, so he brought up a competency hearing.

This strange twist in the case caused the attorneys to agree to have a non-jury trial, and it also drew national attention; it was one of the first cases to feature television cameras in the courtroom.

To enhance his argument, Maxwell’s defender brought in a therapist from the state hospital to attempt to bring out one of his client’s other personalities. Using the techniques of hypnosis, the therapist drew out the personality that called herself Wanda Weston. In just mere moments, this simple, timid maid named Juanita Maxwell had transformed into a pot-smoking party girl. Maxwell’s defender argued that it was this dominant personality – Wanda Weston – who actually killed the woman in the hotel.

This heated case grew even hotter as the state claimed that Maxwell was faking the whole thing. As it turns out, Maxwell really did have multiple personality disorder as a result from a childhood of prostitution. She was later found “not guilty” by way of insanity. Maxwell was taken to a mental facility where she spent many years recovering from her disorder.

However, as to the nonprofit association I refer to:

Hugh Starnes spent the next thirty years of his life as a judge, with twenty years focused on family law. It was in this field where he was able to help develop a new way to practice family law, or what he calls a “leading edge way.”

“We tried to squeeze out adversarial practices of law and use more productive methods,” the Judge tells me.

Judge Starnes and his team developed the Association of Family Law Professionals which focuses on an interdisciplinary method of practice. Lawyers, mental health specialists, and CPAs are some of the types of people who were a part of this association. It is respected on a national level and is actually utilized as a model for other organizations in the country.

While it led to wonderful benefits for most of the families, not everyone agreed with the tactics of this model organization. Judge Starnes recalls a story about a certain person who was disappointed with the outcome of his case. This man actually carried around a billboard for three to four years that stated “Judge Starnes is unfair to fathers and children.” It was situations like this that made the weekends on the ranch in Corkscrew seem like therapy to the Judge.

AFLA cohort, co-founder (whatever), also active in helping establish FL-AFCC (as I recall), Shelly Finman, also has several Florida Corporations, one of which shows as probably a supervised visitation (“Family Resource”) center:  (Sunbiz.org/ search by Officer/Registered Agent)

Collaborative Lawyers of SW FLorida has a Marjorie Starnes, Esq. on the (original) Board, with a street address matching the Lee County, FL Bar association.

Presumably “no relation” to the Hugh Starnes of the same geographical area.

Interesting Lexis Nexis abstract by Hugh Starnes and 2 others (including at least one FL-AFCC):

Copyright (c) 2004 Sage Publications, Inc.
Family Court Review

CASE STUDY IN MEDIATION: Mediating Judicial Policy: Successful Mediation of a Family Court Rule on Domestic Violence and Mediation

January, 2004

42 Fam. Ct. Rev. 128

Author

Gregory Firestone, Hon. Raymond T. McNeal, and Hon. Hugh E. Starnes

Excerpt

The use of consensus-building strategies, such as mediation and facilitation, to resolve public policy disputes is becoming increasingly common in many states. As Todd and Jones ¹state, the benefit of such strategies is to create a process whereby “communities may come to accept the legitimacy of differing interests and values and recognize the need to readjust relationships between government and the governed.“

This typically seems to apply when it is those in positions of government that then wish to alter the forms of government to accommodate their needs.  Suggesting that the governed then just continue  to “mediate’ is like suggesting that former victims of crime continue to “mediate” with their abusers.  Which of course relates to the alteration of the rules of court to accommodate more of this.   It is the kind court-appointed mediators are BEST equipped for:  where the mediator has a pre-existing allegiance, and with a superb imbalance of powers.

Mr. Finman and Mr. Starnes are often presenting together, although one is an attorney and the other a judge.  Mr. Finman’s site:

Sheldon (Shelly) E. Finman – A Passion For Making A Difference

Being The Change He Wishes To See In The World

After 39 years as a lawyer, Shelly believes the way to leave a legacy is to pass his expertise and passion on. As co-creator of the Cooperative Divorce concept, and a leader in the Collaborative Divorce movement, Shelly teaches, trains and inspires law and health professionals all over the U.S. and Canada to bring dignity and respect for families into their work.. . .

Past Speaking Engagements

• July 24, 2010, Fort Myers, FL, Co-presented with the Hon. (Ret) Hugh E. Starnes, Sr., Circuit Judge, on Legal Issues, Parent Coordination Training sponsored by The Association of Family Law Professionals.  At this training, Shelly was presented with the prestigious certificate: Lifetime Achievement Award, as the Father of Cooperative Law.
• June 11, 2010, Moderator of the Professional Panel at the AFLP Annual Conference entitled: Dangerous Times, Confessions, and Lessons Learned.
• May 7, 2010, Co-presented with Attorney Steve Thompson and Tricia Spivey to local family law professionals, including judges, lawyers, mental health professionals and accountants.
• Mar 31, 2010, Spoke at Barry Law School to students regarding problem solving divorce procedures and best practices.
• Mar 12, 2010, Co-presented at Florida Chapter, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), Child Focused Negotioation of Parenting Plan: “Through the Eyes of the Child” with the Hon. Hugh E. Starnes, Retired Circuit Court Judge, Deborah C. Silver, Psy.D., and JoAnne Holt, CPA. The subject was multi-professional family law team approach in helping resolve high conflict issues.
• Jun 10, 2009, Fort Myers, FL, Florida Gulf Coast University, addressed the Graduate Mental Health Counselors’ class.
• May 29, 2009, New Orleans, LA, at the annual conference of The Association of Family and Coniliation courts (AFCC), presenting Parenting Plans.

As of 2010,  Association of Family Law Professionals was right next door (?) or suite to where Marjorie Starnes, Esq. (on the Board of Mr. Finman (agent)’s Collaborative Lawyers of Southwest FLorida organization) is listed, i.e., at the Lee County Bar Association address (I don’t live in Florida, this is, “apparently.”)    2077 First Street, Suite 209, 207, respectively.

While this august corporation/association has been filing annual reports pretty steadily since at least 1999, through 2011, and although it is a nonprofit with an EIN# (65-06191913) it appears to have only ONE IRS-990 form — which is completely, blank, I mean, no $$ figures on it anywhere — and partial — for the year 2004.   NOTE:  it had been cancelled and reinstated itself in 2004.

If this is a “model” for the nation, it does seem to take to extremes this “not-registering” status, but perhaps that’s something that’s covered at the AFCC conferences, who knows?  As well as to make sure the  same person isn’t the registered agent, remember to move “Places of business” from time to time, and in general don’t have the same bigwig heading up corporations that the same personnel are involved in, under different titles.

Association of Family Law Professionals (hasn’t fixed the website yet, too busy conferencing I guess) History  It began with a diverse membership of 3 people whose purpose was to decide whether their community (?? the entire county  Or the court-associated professionals) needed Court-Appointed Mediators…  Cute.

This “Watchdog site” (you can look up EIN#) shows income not over $25K, and it’s listed under “Board of Trade” “Promotion of Business.”  COntributions not tax-deductible.  But their activities in promoting business are…..And, they last filed in 2008 (where, tba).  I am not sure where one tracks down florida charities and if they need to also register annually.

the “Family Resource Center of Southwest Florida” was a nonprofit apparently created (filing shows 2009) intentionally to produce supervised visitation status; there are notes from a Rotary Club and the City of Fort Myers documenting its request to the city to snag some Safe Havens grants from the OVW for this purpose:

http://www.rotaryfortmyers.org/

and

http://www.cityftmyers.com  Minutes, March 28, 2011

NO. 3a SUBMITTAL OF ONLINE OVW FISCAL YEAR 2011 SAFE HAVENS: SUPERVISED VISITATION AND SAFE EXCHANGE GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION, CFDA NO.16.527 TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA The OVW Fiscal Year 2011 Safe Havens: Supervised Visitation and Safe Exchange Grant Program application, CFDA No. 16.527, in the amount of $400,000.00, was submitted online on March 14, 2011, to the United States Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women, on behalf of the Family Resource Center of Southwest Florida, with no match required. Florida Statutes provided that states, Indian Tribal governments, or local government could apply for grant funding to support a non-profit, non-governmental domestic violence or sexual assault victims service organization such as Family Resource Center of Southwest Florida to provide supervised visitation and safe exchange of children related to violence against women and child abuse. The Family Resource Center of Southwest Florida requested aid from the City to apply on their behalf. The City will transfer funds to the Family Resource Center of Southwest Florida upon confirmation that a full time employee to manage and comply with all federal requirements of the grant had been hired. The grant funds will be used for operation and administration expenses for supervised visitation and safe exchange services. The services involved a professional counselor to monitor visits between parents and children affected by domestic violence, sexual crimes, and child abuse.

There are plenty — LOTS  — of supervised visitation centers in Florida.  This undated list shows the “Family Visitation Center of Southwest Florida” as last in a two-page list.  they are sorted by judicial districts.  In the 20th district, where our Hugh Starnes was judge, this group’s contact is listed as Roseann Albertario 

Roseann Albertario, Director

The Family Visitation Center of SW Florida 1495 Maple Drive Ft. Myers, FL 33907 941/227-0096 Fax 941/277-0662

Roseann Albertario just happens to be on a few other nonprofits — or at least, sharing one with Hugh E. Starnes, namely Association of Family Law Professionals.

Officer/Director Detail

Name & Address

Title P

SELL, ANN 1342 COLONIAL BLVD FORT MYERS FL 33907

Title VP

ALBERTARIO, ROSEANN P.O. BOX 07212 FORT MYERS FL 33919

Title S

HOLLY, CHRISTINA 2164 WEST FIRST STREET, UNIT A FORT MYERS FL 33901

Title T

SCHWARTZ, ROBERT M 3841 LAKEVIEW ISLE COURT FORT MYERS FL 33905

Apparently she also attempted to go it alone briefly in 2009

Apparently she is now district director of services at Catholic Charities in the area, which conceivably might also help when it comes to grants:

Here are some other incorporations by this judge in Florida (where he’s registered agent, or was):

and some with Marjorie Starnes:

Also at the address (corporation wiki breaks it down nicely)

Also at the address is a CPA specializing in Family law-type situations:

JOANNE HOLT is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Florida.  Education: University of South Florida (B.A., 1979). Certifided Public Accountant (1983). Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator (1999). Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (2002). Certified Fraud Examiner (2004). Certified in Financial Forensics (2009).

JoAnne’s practice primarily involves work as a a forensic accountant in circuit civil, family law and criminal cases.  Services include, but not limited to, fraud examination, forensic accounting, court appointed receiver and curator, litigation support for plaintiffs and defendants, damage calculations, tax preparation, small business consulting and IRS representation.

JoAnne was honored with the Presidential award from the Florida Association of Family Conciliation Courts in 2003 for her exceptional leadership and exemplary service as the founding treasurer and board member. JoAnne is a member of many professional organizations and over the years has been involved in improving our family law court system.  

JoAnne is also the founder and owner of www.standbyhousing.com, a website that offers temporary housing solutions.

Again, the citation is to the AFCC, which of course returns favors in the form of awards and recommendations that can be posted on one’s business websites.

Just to point out, there’s often a competency in real estate around judges and attorneys…..