This petition is born out of a deeply personal struggle. My friend is currently embroiled in a heart-wrenching battle for the custody of her children. Jane Doe , a loving mother of two in Washington State, is held accountable for a perpetrator's actions of abuse. She is unable to speak out against the abuser because of a court issued gag order. She has  been punished for protecting her children by having unjustified restrictions placed on her. Her motherhood rights have been eviscerated by family court. Her protective measures have been punished and her constitutional right to freedom of speech has been muzzled.

Her children are being deprived of the joy and enrichment that comes from participating in activities such as 4-H, an educational youth program promoting hands-on learning in areas like health, science, agriculture and civic engagement. They have been deprived of family time with her extended family. 

Jane Doe, like many others, has been torn from her children by a system that is supposed to protect them. Despite the fact that most children are allowed to speak on their own behalf at the age of 12, Jane's child was denied this right. The Judge deemed him/her unqualified to voice his/her own opinions and desires, yet paradoxically herself qualified enough for decisions about his/her future to be made without his/her input.

Family court in Washington State is playing Russian roulette with children's lives under the guise of "best interest of the child".

Moreover, seeking justice through an appeal is prohibitively expensive due to requirements such as complete transcripts. This cost can be equal or over 10,000 dollars. This financial barrier prevents many mothers from pursuing justice and advocating for their children's well-being.

This is not an isolated incident but rather a symptom of a larger problem - the current state of family law in Washington.

The current custody laws not only affect Jane Doe and her family but also many other families across Washington State who are facing similar situations. The system often puts absolute control into the hands of judges who make decisions based on their discretion without considering potential harm caused to children. Commissioners and judges are empowering abusive men with the system, allowing them to argue like a prosecutor in criminal court and enabling financed abuse through vexation litigation. In 2019 alone, over 50% of contested custody cases resulted in one parent losing significant access to their child (source: Washington State Court Statistics). This indicates that our system may be failing at its primary goal - protecting and promoting the best interests of our children. This means that thousands upon thousands of children in our state alone are potentially being subjected to decisions made without their best interests at heart.

We believe that it is time for a change. We need reforms that prioritize children’s emotional well-being and consider their unique needs on a case-by-case basis rather than imposing blanket restrictions which can lead to distressing situations like Karen's.

We urge lawmakers in Washington State to reconsider these stringent rules around child custody arrangements and work towards creating more flexible policies that truly serve our children’s best interests. More over, the appeal process should not be cost prohibitive. We must take control out of solely judicial hands and create checks and balances within our family law system that truly consider each individual case with care and attention it deserves.

Please sign this petition if you believe every child deserves access to all facets of love, care, education, recreation they need for wholesome development regardless of their parents' marital status or disputes