Abuser Brad Badal and Attorney Jessica Sprague Humiliated in Failed Attempt to Silence Watchdog Journalists
By Richard Luthmann
In a decisive blow against censorship and courtroom secrecy, a New Jersey judge recently delivered a rare and resounding win for press freedom and family court transparency.
The importance of this “win” for the free press and family court litigants deserves robust coverage.
The ruling in Badal v. Badal reaffirmed what the First Amendment guarantees: the public has a right to know, and the press has a duty to report—especially when the stakes involve domestic violence, judicial misconduct, and the weaponization of legal systems to silence abuse survivors.
At the center of this case is Cristin Badal, a protective mother who alleged years of domestic violence, fraud, and coercive control at the hands of her estranged husband, J. Bradley “Brad” Badal.
Backed by Attorney Jessica Sprague, Badal attempted to use the family court to erase those allegations—not by disproving them, but by gagging the press and ordering independent journalists and watchdogs to remove already-published articles.
It was a brazen attack on transparency, aimed at silencing not just Cristin, but anyone reporting the truth.
Standing in defense of that truth was the Foundation for the Child Victims of the Family Courts (FCVFC), led by Jill Jones Soderman, a forensic expert and fierce advocate for children and parents trapped in corrupt custody systems.
With the support of investigative journalists Richard Luthmann and Michael Volpe, FCVFC documented Cristin’s abuse, including court-verified medical evidence and brain scans showing trauma consistent with domestic assault.
Judge James Farber rejected Brad Badal’s censorship crusade, defending the rights of the press and the public to scrutinize family court proceedings. His ruling wasn’t just a win for Cristin—it was a stand for every victim fighting against institutional gaslighting and court-enabled abuse.
This case exposed more than a custody battle. It revealed a system where silence is enforced and speaking truth to power remains an act of courage.
🎙️ Transcript: The Unknown Podcast
Episode Title: Not In This Country: Free Speech Victory in Badal v. Badal
Guest: Jill Jones Soderman
Hosts: Michael Volpe, Richard Luthmann
Topic: Press freedom and transparency in family court; legal retaliation by Brad Badal against media and advocates
⚖️ Not In This Country: The Filing That Sparked the Fight
Michael Volpe opens the episode by reading from a legal filing by Brad Badal, the plaintiff in Badal v. Badal, a high-conflict family court case in New Jersey. Badal sought a court order to:
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Seal the family court record
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Restrain dissemination of information
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Force journalist Richard Luthmann, Jill Jones Soderman, and the Foundation for the Child Victims of the Family Courts (FCVFC) to remove previously published articles
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Bar future publications about the case
Volpe reads the complaint, where Badal accuses journalists of defamation, spreading false information, and violating court rules by publishing pleadings and courtroom audio. Badal also targets Cristin Badal, his estranged wife, alleging she is fueling the media coverage and violating court orders.
Jill Jones Soderman responds firmly:
“I’m not a party to the case. This is a screed designed to threaten and intimidate. We will not take down truthful, evidence-based material.”
🧑⚖️ Not In This Country: Understanding the Censorship Attempt
Richard Luthmann explains the procedural posture:
“Brad Badal asked the court to issue a prior restraint on the press and retroactively order media to unpublish articles. That’s Soviet-style censorship.”
Volpe reads additional sections of Badal’s filing where Badal objects to articles quoting Cristin accusing him of abuse, fraud, and coercion. Badal specifically names the New York News Press, The Family Court Circus, and Volpe’s own piece titled Censorship Crusade Busted.
Luthmann remarks:
“This argument would win in the USSR. Judge Farber shut it down immediately.”
👨⚖️ Not In This Country: Judge Farber’s Free Speech Ruling
Luthmann and Volpe recount the court hearing before Judge James Farber. Attorney Jessica Sprague tried to exclude the press by claiming procedural rules weren’t followed.
Judge Farber responded:
“I’m not removing anybody. Court proceedings are public. That is the national rule.”
He ruled decisively against sealing the record or gagging the media. In denying Sprague’s request, he stated:
“You want the entire record sealed? No. You must show good cause—specifically related to the child. This isn’t how we do things in this country.”
When Sprague asked for FCVFC articles to be removed, Farber said:
“The entity isn’t before us. That’s not the way we do stuff in this country. If what was published is libelous, remedies exist—but prior restraint is unconstitutional.”
🔥 Not In This Country: Defending the Truth with Evidence
Badal accused the journalists and FCVFC of defamation. Volpe asked if Luthmann had received a cease-and-desist.
Luthmann replied:
“No. We gave them a chance to comment. They refused. The evidence comes from documents, court records, and Badal’s own notes.”
He referenced Bruce Bendell, a known tax felon tied to Major Police Supply, Badal’s company. Luthmann said the business connection was clear and unrefuted.
“Truth is the ultimate defense to defamation. They haven’t denied the facts—they’re just trying to silence us.”
🧠 Not In This Country: Brain Scans, Abuse, and Gaslighting
Luthmann highlighted medical findings from Dr. Gregory Hipskind, a brain imaging expert who performed SPECT scans showing Cristin Badal suffered organic brain trauma, likely due to domestic violence.
“This wasn’t mental illness. This was a traumatic brain injury from an altercation. The scans don’t lie.”
He contrasted this with biased reports from court-appointed experts like Cliff Colgan, who wasn’t a doctor but labeled Cristin an alcoholic.
Jill backed up the scientific evidence and added:
“We’ve documented extensive physical abuse—broken bones, concussions, and hospital records. The abuse is real and systemic.”
🚨 Not In This Country: A National Pattern of Suppression
The conversation turned to Title IV-D and IV-E funding and the financial incentives for courts to transfer custody to abusers.
Jill said:
“Judges are paid through back channels. They traffic children to abusers and silence the protective parent.”
She described working with traumatized children, many pleading not to be returned to abusive homes, only to be ignored by the courts.
“We litigate and advocate without fear or favor. We will take this to the U.S. Supreme Court if needed.”
🎤 Not In This Country: The Role of the Independent Press
Soderman praised Luthmann and Volpe:
“You are brave, fair, and fact-driven. You do deeper work than ProPublica. Your reporting gives victims hope.”
Volpe concluded:
“This is more than one case. Across the country, courts are silencing journalists and crushing protective parents. But the tide is turning.”
Luthmann’s final word:
“We won this round. Thanks to Judge Farber, truth and transparency prevailed.”
In my opinion, Valerie Houghton is on a quest to sexually dominate all of the children. When you tell her that you don’t want your kids raped, why else does she say, “My child, my rules.”
It is not hard to see that Ms. Houghton is sick. She needs to be in a mental hospital or prison. Instead, she is being allowed to have access to more children. The goal she says is to “mass produce transgender youth” by not protecting kids. I checked the stats to see if Ms. Houghton made an informed statement. It turns out that 50% of people who get sex changes have been sexually molested in their childhood. https://www.reddit.com/r/AskFeminists/comments/1ed7ko8/according_to_the_justice_dept_1_in_2_transgender/?rdt=47631
There truly is a lot of darkness and evil within family court. One of the big actors in both Santa Clara County, Ca and Austin, Tx is Valerie Houghton.
She is a stalker, child abuser and violent lawyer. There is no one that can stop her. She is immune from discipline and prosecution.
I am not the only to have been stalked, assaulted and prosecuted after discovering that my kids were being sexually abused. It also happened to Daya Baran.
After he was poisoned, the pigmentation in his face was completely damaged and he became a diabetic. You can see the picture of his injuries while was lying on an emergency room bed here:
https://archive.ph/0PsNL
https://freearianna.org/story
You can also see all the money the lawyers were making by allowing the sexual abuse to continue.
Ms. Houghton doesn’t deny being involved. It doesn’t surprise me with there being the same pattern of sick behavior.
NJ Judge James Farber should be celebrated. Yes, he’s doing his job and upholding the law.
But in the climate of family court judges throughout this country, gag orders to conceal abuse under the guise of “protecting the privacy of the children” are used as weapons to defame and billify protective parents and silence children and teens who desperately want to be heard and freed from court ordered abuse.