The ABA Journal’s October edition has an interesting write-up on the FLDS case. Gary Banks, by the way, declined to be interviewed. Excerpts:
In a massive clash between church and state, a band of Texas lawyers learns that individual stories still count . . .
When Susan L. Hays took an attorney ad litem assignment for one of the many Texas custody cases of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, she never imagined her client would be 2 years old.
Hays’ client is 2 years old. The mother is related by marriage to Merrill Jessop, now believed to be in charge of the Eldorado compound. Hays has spent much time talking to the child’s mother. “That was helpful to me because I learned a lot about how she thinks and it made me comfortable with her as a mother, no matter what weirdness goes on with the FLDS,” Hays says.
In June, Hays said she was confident her client’s mother was a good parent, but she didn’t know what information the government had about the child’s stepfather. He was later indicted and charged with bigamy and sexual assault related to his alleged marriage with a teenager. Despite the stepfather’s arrest, Hays’ client was nonsuited in September, as were many other FLDS children. Hays says she’s happy with the court’s decision and will stay in touch with the family.
Full text at ABA Journal. ht: DH (not that kind of DH!)
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Kurt, what is most enlightening in that article is Hays’ comment about the age at which MOST ad litems consider their clients to be old enough to form the attorney-client relationship & be able to direct the attorney. FOUR YEARS OLD!! How old is Teresa Jeffs?
Rikitikitavi: the next question is: How old is Natalie? Should she be out here by herself? Does her mother know where she is?
Truth be known, FLDS mothers have a clue.
I don’t see how Natalie could, given her track record of swapping sides through this whole ordeal.
JMO, take it or leave it
There’s lots I could say, but Natalie is low-hanging fruit. It’s only a matter of months until her client can tell her to pound sand (hopefully with a lawsuit for malpractice & restraining order).
I’m ready. Where’s the popcorn?
A toast for CPS, Judge Barbie, and the rest of the Texas Mobocrats:
“Here’s wishing they were in the middle of the sea in a stone canoe with iron paddles and that a shark swallowed the canoe and the Devil swallowed the shark and himself locked up in the northwest corner of Hell, the key lost and a blind man hunting it.”— JS
AMEN.
Ditto
The public record of Natalie’s life, even if you discount the majority of it, leaves me under the impression she has not been able to make decisions for herself or her own children that are always sound.
That ABA article got a few good points across.