WHY IS FRAUD AND PERJURY ALLOWED AND ACCEPTED IN FAMILY COURT?

Imagine a system where justice is betrayed, where lies are rewarded, and where the ultimate price is paid by a parent and child.

For me, that system is the Allegheny County Family Division.

Over 13 years, I witnessed four judges allow fraud and/or perjury to be the very catalyst for alienation and ruin in my case. This betrayal of the oath has had a major impact on my life, resulting in complete alienation from my child.

My heart-wrenching reality is that abusers are empowered, using fraud and perjury as tools for legal, financial, and emotional abuse within the very courts meant to deliver justice.

We demand to know: Why are these criminal acts allowed and accepted, and why are they so rarely prosecuted?

The Unpunished Lie: A Systemic Breakdown

For many, the most infuriating aspect of the Family Division is the apparent impunity with which some parties lie under oath or manipulate financial disclosures. 

This isn't just "bending the truth"; it's perjury (18 Pa.C.S. § 4902) and fraud (18 Pa.C.S. § 4101) – serious criminal offenses. Yet, actual criminal prosecution is exceedingly rare.

Why? It's a systemic problem of judicial inaction and prosecutorial discretion:

Attorneys Enable the Deception: 
When an attorney submits a document, their signature certifies that, after a reasonable inquiry, the facts are "well-grounded." Offering evidence known to be false is malpractice and a severe ethical violation.

Applicable Law: 
Pa. R.C.P. No. 1023.1 (Signing of Documents) and PA Rule of Professional Conduct 3.3 (Candor Toward the Tribunal).

Judges Rarely Refer for Prosecution: 
Judges generally do not initiate criminal prosecution for perjury or fraud directly, preferring civil remedies like contempt or sanctions for efficiency. This failure to refer effectively downgrades criminal behavior to a mere "civil dispute" issue.

Prosecutorial Discretion: 
Even with clear evidence, the District Attorney (D.A.) has full discretion whether to pursue criminal charges. Due to limited resources, D.A.'s often decline to prosecute family law perjury/fraud, viewing them as complex civil matters.

High Burden of Proof: 
Criminal perjury/fraud requires proof "beyond a reasonable doubt," which is significantly higher than the "preponderance of the evidence" standard used in the civil setting. Gathering this costly evidence is nearly impossible for self-represented litigants, creating a safe zone for those willing to commit fraud.

The Devastating Impact on Families: Enabling Abuse

The system's tolerance for deception allows abusers to weaponize the courts:

Legal Abuse: 
Abusers leverage false claims or hidden assets to drag out litigation, forcing victims into endless court battles designed to deplete their resources and wear them down.

Financial Abuse: 
Perjured testimony about income or hidden finances directly impacts child support, alimony, and property division, leaving victims financially devastated—a deliberate tactic of control.

Emotional & Psychological Abuse: 
The sheer injustice of seeing lies rewarded and truth ignored within the legal system inflicts profound emotional distress.

Statistics underscore this vulnerability:

Financial Misrepresentation: 
One study notes that "financial nondisclosure and misrepresentation are unfortunately common in family law matters" (Source: American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers).

The Burden on Pro Se Litigants: 
Given that 80% of individuals in the Family Division are self-represented (Source: UC Law Journal), they are left vulnerable to organized deception without the resources to fight for criminal accountability.

What We Demand: Real Accountability

The Allegheny County Family Rights Coalition believes that a court system that allows fraud and perjury to flourish is a broken system. 

We demand:

Attorney Enforcement: 
The Disciplinary Board of the PA Supreme Court must be proactive in investigating and prosecuting attorneys who violate their sworn duty (Rule 3.3) by submitting or enabling fraudulent evidence.

Judicial Responsibility: 
Judges must be mandated to actively refer credible allegations of perjury and fraud to the District Attorney's office for investigation.

Prosecutorial Prioritization: 
District Attorneys must be allocated resources and given clearer mandates to investigate and prosecute criminal fraud and perjury that undermines justice in the Family Division.

It's time for the legal system to uphold its integrity and prosecute those who deliberately pervert justice, especially when children's futures are on the line.

🚨 ACT NOW: Demand Integrity in the Family Division! 

If you agree that fraud and perjury have no place in our courts and must be prosecuted, sign and share our petition to bring accountability to the Allegheny County Family Division.

➡️ Sign the Family Division Reform Petition
https://www.change.org/Familydivisionreform

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