Thanks for posting this info.
@gitana1 kindly explained above post that GF now has to be heard on this matter by the Family Court judge and unfortunately the Probate Court can't be used to decide the matter. We have only seen the motion from Pattis/FD on the matter and haven't seen anything yet filed by GF. Its heartbreaking to me that this family will have to go through what most likely will be a rough process to decide custody.
Its curious though that FD is rolling the dice now on demanding custody with Pattis now when the status of pending charges is still unclear. Seems like it might have made sense to wait to see if/when other charges are filed. But even if no other charges are filed it seems like the obstruction/other present charges could put FD in prison for quite awhile leaving the door open for the GF/Farber family to resume custody.
But I guess FD/Pattis were forced to file for custody given that maintaining the current situation with GF would allow for very strong and credible (IMO) argument to be made that GF is functioning as a 'parent' with regard to the children. Not sure though what argument can be made to allow custody to a parent with such restricted visitation as was presently in place at the time of JD missing event?
@gitana1 do you know what the appeals process might be for Family Court? Is there even a process for review of Family Court matters by a higher court and could this end up at the highest court in CT on appeal? Also, do you see any way that an argument could be made by GF to move the custody question to NY and away from CT?
Its also curious to me that Atty Pattis who has spent next to no time speaking about his client FD would subject that same client to full court review of his suitability and competenace to parent and assume custody responsibilities in full view of the world press and potential jury pool in the criminal matter. It seems like this process would open pandoras box on any/all/everything we could ever want to know about FD as a person and as a parent. Given what is already in the Family Court documents on these topics I don't get why Pattis would want all this out in the public domain in advance of the criminal proceedings?!
Perhaps Pattis will ask that any custody case documents be 'sealed' by the Family Court and that atty's associated with the proceedings be gagged? We can then I guess only hope that the GAL in the case will somehow 'find a way' to drop all the reports and files on GF's desk so she and her atty's might read them and release them to the press! What a tragic farce this has the potential to become IMO. MOO