I am trying to sort out what we learned about the environment of Haleigh's disappearance from the bar complaint. First, it's clear that at least in Crystal's case, her lawyer was the one in contact with LE. That may be true in Ron's case, as well. While Crystal's relationship with her attorney ended up in a furball (my descriptive term for two cats in a fight), we can see from the documents why some parents in missing child cases either feel they need an attorney or really do need one. KP was working child custody, child support, and being a point person with LE. She was doing PR work for the media and trying to manage her client's and the extended family's interaction with the blogosphere. Putting aside how the relationship worked out, we can see how a parent or family might need counsel even if they are in no way involved in an abduction. I hope we can put to rest the comments, in regard to any of the principals in this case, that argue having legal representation makes a person a suspect or, worse, guilty of or complicit in the abduction. Both parents here were represented by people who tried to do the right thing and carry out the child support issues in private, rather than going back to court while Haleigh was missing. Whatever KP did wrong, she did that right, for sure.
We can also see WHY people want their story in the media, above and beyond publicity about the missing child, since some nice person paid Crystal's child support arrearages to the tune of $12,000.
I was surprised at how many people involved in the case appear to be blogging, posting on forums, etc. That's something we all need to keep in mind, and why it is so important to post links from reputable sources, to be careful of picking up overgeneralized or exaggerated statements about peoples' past histories, and to be very wary of "insider information," which may be disinformation from the innocent, the guilty, the self-serving, and/or the well-intentioned but ill-informed.
Finally, look at what we've learned about the initial custody hearing from Crystal's lawyer (whose response made offers of documentary proof throughout). It's not important, really, that Crystal lied about not being served; if she is an addict, that is to be expected, as lying is part of the "disease" of addiction. (Speaking here as someone with alcoholics hanging all over the family tree, and therefore with firsthand experience.) What should matter to us is that her lie was taken up as "evidence" that Ron somehow arranged for the notice to go to the wrong address. That Crystal was cheated, etc. The notice was served in person. Mail was never an issue. Maybe a little sleuthing into how these things are handled in this jurisdiction would have made the lie obvious to us. We might also have wondered why the judge wouldn't have reprimanded Ron if he was responsible for giving a wrong address. That story should never have stood up to sleuthing scrutiny. Just because someone says, "I didn't get the notice" doesn't mean that it is true. And we can't begin to build any kind of case for or against anyone based on unverified claims and assertions.
It also occurs to me that the length of this case has produced a lot of the craziness we see playing out in the media. Had Haleigh been found quickly, alive or not, the parents, stepparents, grandparents, etc. would have faded from this scene--unless one or more emerged as suspects. There wouldn't be a need for lawyers, and spin; there wouldn't be the attempts to paint one side as evil in order to buff up the reputation of the other.