REMOVE JUDGE KAREN D. McCALLUM FROM THE BENCH — MECKLENBURG COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
The Issue
REMOVE JUDGE KAREN D. McCALLUM FROM THE BENCH — MECKLENBURG COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
A Mother Demands Accountability After Years of Courtroom Controversies, Criminal Contempt Proceedings, and Complaints
My name is Jessika Morgan, and I am coming forward AGAIN. Not as an advocate of an organization, but as a mother who is absolutely fed up with what happened to my son, my daughters, and my family in Mecklenburg County Family Court and seeing others experience the same thing.
In May 2021, I launched a Change.org petition through Survivors Outreach Ministries demanding accountability for District Court Judge Karen D. McCallum. That petition received 1,029 signatures. I also filed multiple complaints with the North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission, challenged the judge's impartiality, pursued recusal, and made courtroom recordings available to the public.
And here we are in 2026. More complaints. More families speaking out. Appellate rulings identifying serious legal errors. National headlines. And Judge Karen McCallum is back in family court.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
THE COURT TRANSCRIPTS DOCUMENT EXACTLY WHY I SPOKE OUT.
On March 2, 2021, Judge McCallum was presiding over custody proceedings involving my daughters. During her ruling, she brought up a deeply disturbing allegation involving my then-13-year-old son, falsely attributing certain testimony to me about an alleged investigation involving sexual misconduct in Wisconsin.
I NEVER gave that testimony.
When I denied it, she insisted I had said it. My attorney, Tiyesha DeCosta, challenged the judge's statements. The judge continued insisting that the information had come from my earlier testimony rather than the opposing attorney's court filings.
READ THE TRANSCRIPTS FOR YOURSELF.
The February 14, 2020 transcript excerpt contains my testimony about Wisconsin, DSS, and my son's treatment history. It does NOT contain the testimony concerning sexually inappropriate behavior that Judge McCallum subsequently attributed to me.
The March 2, 2021 transcript documents the judge making that attribution, my immediate denial, and my attorney challenging her account.
I believe McCallum lied from the bench, and I have been saying so since 2021.
On March 2, I also asked whether I could submit my son's psychological evaluation, treatment documentation, and information from professionals who worked with him. The transcript records the judge responding, "No."
That same hearing reduced my visitation with my daughters to four hours every other Saturday and prohibited my son from being present.
This affected real children and real family relationships. It was not some courtroom debate without consequences.
THEN CAME THE CRIMINAL CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS.
During an August 30, 2021 hearing, my attorney again challenged McCallum regarding the earlier courtroom statements. According to my firsthand account and the complaint I filed immediately afterward, McCallum denied making the attribution previously recorded during the March hearing.
I challenged that denial.
McCallum held me in direct criminal contempt, imposed a combined 60-day jail sentence, and set a $40,000 bond.
SIXTY DAYS IN JAIL. FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
My custody attorney was also held in contempt during the course of these proceedings and appealed her contempt matter.
I appealed my own contempt sentence and bond.
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I NEVER SERVED A SINGLE DAY IN JAIL AND NEVER HAD TO POST THAT $40,000 BOND.
In July 2024, my contempt matter resulted in 90 days of supervision and fees of approximately $378.
And yes, standing up for myself and my family was worth it.
But I should never have had to endure that experience in the first place. I believe McCallum used her contempt authority to punish me for challenging her statements, exposing what happened, and refusing to remain silent.
I want those contempt proceedings, the related appeals, and the complete courtroom recordings independently examined.
I WAS NOT THE ONLY PARENT RAISING CONCERNS.
A separate complaint concerning Judge McCallum was published by the Foundation for Child Victims of the Family Courts in August 2020.
My original petition followed in 2021.
Other parents and former litigants have subsequently published complaints about judicial demeanor, contempt proceedings, parental rights, the handling of domestic violence concerns, and alleged courtroom bias.
A later petition organized by Mothers Matter named McCallum among several Mecklenburg County family court judges and raised additional concerns about the treatment of families.
These individuals deserve an opportunity to present their records and testimony through an independent process.
THE COMPLAINTS DID NOT BEGIN WITH ME, AND THEY DID NOT END WITH ME.
THE APPELLATE RECORD ALSO DESERVES ATTENTION.
In Tillman v. Jenkins (2023), the North Carolina Court of Appeals vacated a custody order entered by McCallum because the required constitutional standard protecting a parent's rights had not been properly applied before awarding custody to a nonparent.
In Preston v. Preston (2022), a $15,000 Rule 11 sanctions order entered by McCallum was challenged on appeal. Although the appellate majority dismissed the appeal as interlocutory, Judge Tyson dissented and concluded that the order should be vacated.
An appellate error is not automatically judicial misconduct. But when parents have been raising concerns for years, published decisions involving parental rights and sanctions should not be ignored.
WHY IS SHE BACK IN FAMILY COURT?
In April 2026, Judge McCallum made headlines after WSOC-TV reported that she reduced a defendant's bond from $1 million to $25,000 in a criminal case involving a shooting incident and the death of an unborn child.
In July 2026, Mothers Matter publicly criticized McCallum's return to family court, alleging that she had previously been transferred out of domestic court in late 2023.
The official reasons for those assignments deserve examination.
WHY ARE WE MOVING JUDGES BETWEEN COURTROOMS WHILE FAMILIES ARE STILL DEMANDING ANSWERS ABOUT THEIR CONDUCT?
Judicial reassignment does not substitute for a proper investigation. Nor should any judge automatically be presumed guilty simply because a court decision was controversial. The records need to be examined and the findings made public to the extent permitted by law.
THIS IS PERSONAL. THESE ARE MY CHILDREN.
My son was a child when these events occurred. He had a mother who loved him, defended him, and refused to accept damaging allegations that she maintained were false.
My daughters deserved a fair custody process. My entire family deserved due process.
Instead, I spent years fighting courtroom statements, contempt proceedings, and decisions that deeply affected our family relationships.
I have the court transcripts. I have documented complaints. I have identified courtroom videos. And I am not going to pretend that what happened was acceptable just because it occurred inside a courtroom.
I am calling for a formal investigation by the appropriate North Carolina authorities into Judge Karen D. McCallum's conduct, her exercise of contempt authority, the handling of recusal proceedings, and the documented concerns raised by families over multiple years.
I also request that the North Carolina House of Representatives examine whether the evidence warrants impeachment proceedings and that judicial disciplinary authorities consider removal.
A BLACK ROBE DOES NOT PLACE ANYONE ABOVE THE LAW.
I am not going to stop speaking about what happened to my family. Other parents should not have to remain silent either.
My children mattered in 2021. They matter in 2026. And so do every other parent's children who have been affected by this court system. A video of a Judge lying on the bench not once but twice along with the rest of the complaints should be enough to have her removed from the bench period it is tyranny for her to still be a Judge and destroy famlies and childrens lives.
JUDICIAL ACCOUNTABILITY IS NOT OPTIONAL.
WATCH THE COURTROOM VIDEO AND REVIEW THE RECORDS
Public courtroom video:
https://youtu.be/RIykT1gIOt4
Original 2021 petition — 1,029 supporters:
https://www.change.org/p/remove-judge-karen-d-mccallum-corrupt-charlotte-nc-judge-violates-litigants-constitutional-rights
September 2021 update concerning the recordings:
https://www.change.org/p/remove-judge-karen-d-mccallum-corrupt-charlotte-nc-judge-violates-litigants-constitutional-rights/u/29664165
Additional published complaint:
https://fcvfc.org/2020/08/24/complaint-against-judge-karen-mccallum/
Mothers Matter petition:
https://www.change.org/p/end-family-court-corruption-charlotte-nc-culler-mccallum-mann-levine-mcthenia
Tillman v. Jenkins (2023):
https://law.justia.com/cases/north-carolina/court-of-appeals/2023/22-531.html
Preston v. Preston (2022):
https://law.justia.com/cases/north-carolina/court-of-appeals/2022/21-204.html
31
The Issue
REMOVE JUDGE KAREN D. McCALLUM FROM THE BENCH — MECKLENBURG COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
A Mother Demands Accountability After Years of Courtroom Controversies, Criminal Contempt Proceedings, and Complaints
My name is Jessika Morgan, and I am coming forward AGAIN. Not as an advocate of an organization, but as a mother who is absolutely fed up with what happened to my son, my daughters, and my family in Mecklenburg County Family Court and seeing others experience the same thing.
In May 2021, I launched a Change.org petition through Survivors Outreach Ministries demanding accountability for District Court Judge Karen D. McCallum. That petition received 1,029 signatures. I also filed multiple complaints with the North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission, challenged the judge's impartiality, pursued recusal, and made courtroom recordings available to the public.
And here we are in 2026. More complaints. More families speaking out. Appellate rulings identifying serious legal errors. National headlines. And Judge Karen McCallum is back in family court.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
THE COURT TRANSCRIPTS DOCUMENT EXACTLY WHY I SPOKE OUT.
On March 2, 2021, Judge McCallum was presiding over custody proceedings involving my daughters. During her ruling, she brought up a deeply disturbing allegation involving my then-13-year-old son, falsely attributing certain testimony to me about an alleged investigation involving sexual misconduct in Wisconsin.
I NEVER gave that testimony.
When I denied it, she insisted I had said it. My attorney, Tiyesha DeCosta, challenged the judge's statements. The judge continued insisting that the information had come from my earlier testimony rather than the opposing attorney's court filings.
READ THE TRANSCRIPTS FOR YOURSELF.
The February 14, 2020 transcript excerpt contains my testimony about Wisconsin, DSS, and my son's treatment history. It does NOT contain the testimony concerning sexually inappropriate behavior that Judge McCallum subsequently attributed to me.
The March 2, 2021 transcript documents the judge making that attribution, my immediate denial, and my attorney challenging her account.
I believe McCallum lied from the bench, and I have been saying so since 2021.
On March 2, I also asked whether I could submit my son's psychological evaluation, treatment documentation, and information from professionals who worked with him. The transcript records the judge responding, "No."
That same hearing reduced my visitation with my daughters to four hours every other Saturday and prohibited my son from being present.
This affected real children and real family relationships. It was not some courtroom debate without consequences.
THEN CAME THE CRIMINAL CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS.
During an August 30, 2021 hearing, my attorney again challenged McCallum regarding the earlier courtroom statements. According to my firsthand account and the complaint I filed immediately afterward, McCallum denied making the attribution previously recorded during the March hearing.
I challenged that denial.
McCallum held me in direct criminal contempt, imposed a combined 60-day jail sentence, and set a $40,000 bond.
SIXTY DAYS IN JAIL. FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
My custody attorney was also held in contempt during the course of these proceedings and appealed her contempt matter.
I appealed my own contempt sentence and bond.
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I NEVER SERVED A SINGLE DAY IN JAIL AND NEVER HAD TO POST THAT $40,000 BOND.
In July 2024, my contempt matter resulted in 90 days of supervision and fees of approximately $378.
And yes, standing up for myself and my family was worth it.
But I should never have had to endure that experience in the first place. I believe McCallum used her contempt authority to punish me for challenging her statements, exposing what happened, and refusing to remain silent.
I want those contempt proceedings, the related appeals, and the complete courtroom recordings independently examined.
I WAS NOT THE ONLY PARENT RAISING CONCERNS.
A separate complaint concerning Judge McCallum was published by the Foundation for Child Victims of the Family Courts in August 2020.
My original petition followed in 2021.
Other parents and former litigants have subsequently published complaints about judicial demeanor, contempt proceedings, parental rights, the handling of domestic violence concerns, and alleged courtroom bias.
A later petition organized by Mothers Matter named McCallum among several Mecklenburg County family court judges and raised additional concerns about the treatment of families.
These individuals deserve an opportunity to present their records and testimony through an independent process.
THE COMPLAINTS DID NOT BEGIN WITH ME, AND THEY DID NOT END WITH ME.
THE APPELLATE RECORD ALSO DESERVES ATTENTION.
In Tillman v. Jenkins (2023), the North Carolina Court of Appeals vacated a custody order entered by McCallum because the required constitutional standard protecting a parent's rights had not been properly applied before awarding custody to a nonparent.
In Preston v. Preston (2022), a $15,000 Rule 11 sanctions order entered by McCallum was challenged on appeal. Although the appellate majority dismissed the appeal as interlocutory, Judge Tyson dissented and concluded that the order should be vacated.
An appellate error is not automatically judicial misconduct. But when parents have been raising concerns for years, published decisions involving parental rights and sanctions should not be ignored.
WHY IS SHE BACK IN FAMILY COURT?
In April 2026, Judge McCallum made headlines after WSOC-TV reported that she reduced a defendant's bond from $1 million to $25,000 in a criminal case involving a shooting incident and the death of an unborn child.
In July 2026, Mothers Matter publicly criticized McCallum's return to family court, alleging that she had previously been transferred out of domestic court in late 2023.
The official reasons for those assignments deserve examination.
WHY ARE WE MOVING JUDGES BETWEEN COURTROOMS WHILE FAMILIES ARE STILL DEMANDING ANSWERS ABOUT THEIR CONDUCT?
Judicial reassignment does not substitute for a proper investigation. Nor should any judge automatically be presumed guilty simply because a court decision was controversial. The records need to be examined and the findings made public to the extent permitted by law.
THIS IS PERSONAL. THESE ARE MY CHILDREN.
My son was a child when these events occurred. He had a mother who loved him, defended him, and refused to accept damaging allegations that she maintained were false.
My daughters deserved a fair custody process. My entire family deserved due process.
Instead, I spent years fighting courtroom statements, contempt proceedings, and decisions that deeply affected our family relationships.
I have the court transcripts. I have documented complaints. I have identified courtroom videos. And I am not going to pretend that what happened was acceptable just because it occurred inside a courtroom.
I am calling for a formal investigation by the appropriate North Carolina authorities into Judge Karen D. McCallum's conduct, her exercise of contempt authority, the handling of recusal proceedings, and the documented concerns raised by families over multiple years.
I also request that the North Carolina House of Representatives examine whether the evidence warrants impeachment proceedings and that judicial disciplinary authorities consider removal.
A BLACK ROBE DOES NOT PLACE ANYONE ABOVE THE LAW.
I am not going to stop speaking about what happened to my family. Other parents should not have to remain silent either.
My children mattered in 2021. They matter in 2026. And so do every other parent's children who have been affected by this court system. A video of a Judge lying on the bench not once but twice along with the rest of the complaints should be enough to have her removed from the bench period it is tyranny for her to still be a Judge and destroy famlies and childrens lives.
JUDICIAL ACCOUNTABILITY IS NOT OPTIONAL.
WATCH THE COURTROOM VIDEO AND REVIEW THE RECORDS
Public courtroom video:
https://youtu.be/RIykT1gIOt4
Original 2021 petition — 1,029 supporters:
https://www.change.org/p/remove-judge-karen-d-mccallum-corrupt-charlotte-nc-judge-violates-litigants-constitutional-rights
September 2021 update concerning the recordings:
https://www.change.org/p/remove-judge-karen-d-mccallum-corrupt-charlotte-nc-judge-violates-litigants-constitutional-rights/u/29664165
Additional published complaint:
https://fcvfc.org/2020/08/24/complaint-against-judge-karen-mccallum/
Mothers Matter petition:
https://www.change.org/p/end-family-court-corruption-charlotte-nc-culler-mccallum-mann-levine-mcthenia
Tillman v. Jenkins (2023):
https://law.justia.com/cases/north-carolina/court-of-appeals/2023/22-531.html
Preston v. Preston (2022):
https://law.justia.com/cases/north-carolina/court-of-appeals/2022/21-204.html
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
Petition Updates
Share this petition
Petition created on October 31, 2026