In the time that we became aware of this case, we have also become aware of a number of other family court cases in the judicial district of Preston and Monongalia counties.
We have heard of at least two cases in judge Randal Minor’s court in which the litigants—both women, both victims of abuse—were further victimized by judge Minor’s orders. In each case, the women were unable to take further action and appeal their cases. This is because, somehow or other, no record was made of the proceedings in the case. No DVD. No transcript. There was no record of evidence entered at the hearings and trials, and no record of objections made, or of the basis for the only record: judge Minor’s orders.
Judge Minor was not censured or in any way taken to task by the Judicial Investigation Commission or the court administrators and the supreme court justices for his court’s failing to keep the legally mandated records of proceedings. Why was judge Minor let off in these cases? Why was there no recourse for the victims? Who is protecting judge Minor and why?
While this case progressed another child was sent by judge Minor to an abusive parent who also had no relationship with the child except of fear. On judge Minor’s orders, the child was torn away from her mother and given for the weekend to a mentally unstable criminal. The last her mother saw of her child was the little girl crying and pleading not to be given over to the abuser. She returned in a body bag. The mother swore on social media to bring judge Minor to justice. But then she became silent. Why has judge Minor not had to account for this child’s death?
These are only some of the stories of victims that we have heard. We ask readers who have had experiences with judge Minor’s court to contact us and share what you went through.
We also caution anyone going through family court to ask at the beginning of each hearing–and to document the request– that the proceedings be on the record.
There are two family court judges in the district. Judge Hill is the other judge. This past year was a tragic one for her victims. A disabled boy died through neglect of his breathing apparatus. For years CPS and judge Hill failed to take note that the child was in a neglectful household, from which four other children had been removed. Inexplicably, neither CPS nor the judge acted. The neglected child went into a coma as a result of the mother’s neglect, and later died.
A few years ago, judge Hill was the center of another internet storm when she ordered, continued to order, a toddler into visitations with his father from which he returned covered in bruises.
Both family court judges have sent children within the last two years to drug addicted and drug dealing parents. In one case, judge Minor tore a two year old from his father, who had cared for him from birth, and sent him to a drug addict and criminal mother who was in and out of prison, allowing the father to see him for only 2 hours/month.
Some have labeled judge Randal Minor a “father’s rights” judge. Some have said that his own unfortunate family history has turned him against women. In our view judge Minor is an equal opportunity judge when it comes to being unfair to parents. Most significantly, he is neither pro women nor pro men. His rulings are anti-children.
None of the parents mentioned in this blog, including the one whose story we are telling, have the emotional and physical energy after going through these courts to fight for justice, beyond trying—often unsuccessfully—to keep their own children safe. They and their children are traumatized. They are also afraid. Should courts in our state and in our country be allowed to terrorize people who have committed no crime?
Family Court Abuse 