abuse by design

If the courts were merely overwhelmed, we’d see chaos.

But what we see is something else entirely: a predictable machine that benefits the people who run it—at the expense of the families trapped inside.

Litigation abuse isn’t a flaw in the system. It’s the business model.

Evaluators. Therapists. GALs. Parenting Coordinators. What was once supposed to be a court of law has become a cottage industry of control—where “professionals” charge $300+ an hour to validate their own bias and rubber-stamp trauma.

A $20K ‘custody case’ becomes $300K—and often much more. Parents are forced to drain retirement savings, sell homes, and take out loans to fight for basic parenting rights—while the court's appointees rack up billable hours through endless investigations, court-ordered therapy and evaluations, and “conflict resolution” programs.

Facts don’t matter—only narrative and influence do. Protective parents are pathologized as “emotionally unstable,” “high conflict,” or accused of “abusive use of conflict.” These are not legal findings—they’re character assassinations used to justify handing power back to abusers.

There’s no neutral ground. Only power—and who gets to wield it. The side with the most money, influence, or institutional loyalty wins. Truth is irrelevant. Safety is negotiable. And justice is pay-to-play.

- Custody evaluators rely on pseudoscience and a bias gut instinct.
- Reports are often copied from templates or recycled language.
- Victims are reframed as “high-conflict” or “alienating.”
- Abuse is minimized or erased in the name of reunification.

You can’t challenge it, because there’s no standard of evidence—and no accountability.

The same discretion that allows a judge to protect a child is used just as easily to destroy them.

- Judges ignore RCW 26.09.191 findings.
- Gag orders are imposed without justification.
- Abuse is redefined as “parenting differences.”
- Protective parents are punished for advocating or reporting concerns.

What’s supposed to be case-by-case decision-making is now a free pass for bias, retaliation, and corruption.

- There is no licensing body for many of these professionals.
- There is no independent grievance process.
- There is no data to track outcomes—or harm.

- Any affiliation with Family Court, and everyone goes 'hands off'.

The same people who prolong trauma are the ones presenting at court conferences, writing “best practices,” and training the next wave of professionals.

This is not reformable from within. It’s profitable abuse. And it was designed that way.

- Mandatory evidentiary standards must apply in family court.
- Court-affiliated professionals must face liability for harm.
- Judicial decisions must be tied to statute—not ideology.
- RCWs meant to protect children must be enforced as written.

Until then, what we’re calling “family law” is really state-sanctioned harm with a billing code.