Judge Elizabeth Kelly

Maryann Petri’s story is one of devastation turned into defiance. A nurse, mother, and survivor of Erie County family court, Petri lost her children in 2015 after false allegations — despite being twice cleared by CPS. Judges stripped her family, career, and health, leaving her near collapse. But Petri refused silence. She launched the podcast Slam the Gavel, authored books, and wrote The Mailbox, now a short film. With more than 800 podcast episodes, she amplifies the voices of families failed by the courts. Today, she stands as a national advocate demanding abolition of a corrupt system.