From: noraa@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (aaron.l.hoffmeyer)
Subject: And They Try to Call This "Justice"
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 15:14:38 GMT
Keywords: custody evaluations

[Posted for George in Pittsburgh....]

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                             Judge's Chambers
                          Court of Common Pleas
                           Pittsburgh,PA. 15219

Cynthia A. Baldwin
   Judge

	 Dear Parent/Caretaker:

	    Custody evaluations are generally very stressful times for
parents and children. The goal of the evaluator is to do a thorough job
in as timely a manner as possible.

	We ask that you cooperate in expediting this process by:

	1) completing the two enclosed questionnaires and fowarding
	   them to the psychological evaluator listed in your order;
	   and

	2) mailing your fees to the evaluator(s) listed in your order.

	After the evaluator(s) receive(s) the fee and the completed
questionnaires, the psychological and home evaluator will call to
schedule appointments. If both parties are responsible for payment, the
appointments will not be scheduled until payments are received. If the
custody issues are complex or there are numerous individuals to
interview, the fee for the psychological evaluator may be more than
that which is stated in the order.

	In the event that families agree on a custody arrangement
during the evaluation process, the psychological evaluator's hourly
rate will be charged for that portion of the evaluation in which the
family participated.

	If you decide not to proceed with the evaluation, please call
the evaluators listed in the order.

	Parents frequently ask what they should tell their children
about the evaluation. Our advice to you is to tell your children that
you are having a hard time making a decision about the best living
arrangements for them and the evaluator's job is to help them make that
decision by providing information to the Judge.

	If you have any questions regarding the evaluation process, you
may call the evaluators listed in your order.

					Sincerely,		
					
				Cynthia A. Baldwin,Judge

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This is the letter I recieved from the court today. I called the
evaluators and was told they will not speak to me until after they see
the MONEY FIRST!!!

No money, no talky !!!

That is not what the order says. I have questions to ask. 

To the point of posting this:

	My children asked me to file for custody almost two years ago.
	I did. The Judge would now ask me to lie to the children and
	say I am having a hard time making a decision about what I
	think is best. I filed for custody of the children because not
	only did I feel it was best, so did the children...

	It is now 637 days since the children have been to my home for
	a custody visit as yet the court has not set a date for a
	hearing. The motion for custody was filed 4/02/91. That was
	already 51 days since I had seen the children. Come 12/24/92 it
	will be one year since I have seen all three of my daughters.
	The Judge would suggest I tell the children a lie? The first
	time I see them in a year I should lie to them? NO WAY!!!

	I did see the children 5 1/2 hours in the last 637 days but it
	will be a year since that last visit 12/24/91. A supervised
	visit.

	The children have seen more than 40 therapists in that time.
	They have seen more of the therapists in the last two years
	than they have seen me in the 8 years that have passed since my
	ex and I parted 12/28/84. The children have had more than 24
	diffrent addresses in that time and the court wants me to
	believe they have a stable home life. When trying to find them
	it is usually MOVED LEFT NO FORWARDING ADDRESS...

	They have an address now because my ex asked that I be made to
	pay all uncovered medical expenses... Anyone out there have
	$200,000.00 in change laying around they don't need?

	I got through to the home evaluator, she works in the Juvenile
	Probation Office in Pittsburgh, PA. The psych's secretary
	said," Until we see your money the doctor will not answer any
	of your questions. MONEY FIRST!!!"

	 I can see this will be a wild trip already. I was told Even if
	 I pay the fees, the evaluation will not be done if the ex does
	 not send in her pre-evaluation forms. I do not look forward to
	 the delay. This same Judge has stalled cases even longer than
	 my own. I had to refile for custody.

					George in Pittsburgh