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Judicial accountability

Orange County Justice Crisis: Six Orange County family court judges face rare recall petitions as parents allege retaliation and corruption.

Orange County Justice Crisis: Six Family Court Judges Served With Recall Petitions

    Six Orange County family and probate judges have been served recall petitions in an unprecedented, coordinated action. Families say the courts failed to protect children, punished whistleblowers, and rewarded insiders. The move targets a system long shielded by low-turnout elections and zero accountability. Parents allege retaliation for reporting abuse, suppression of evidence, and forced separation from protective caregivers. Judicial recalls are rare. Six at once is unheard of. For many families, this moment marks the first crack in a system they say operates without oversight. The fight now moves from courtrooms to the public square.

    Judge Jacqueline Ricciani

      Ulster County Family Court is facing intense public scrutiny as Judge Jacqueline Ricciani prepares for a high-stakes emergency hearing involving attorney Elizabeth Faulkner, attorney Heather Harp, and Kingston resident Paul Gillis. Critics claim the trio has orchestrated an “opaque and alarming custody campaign,” raising questions about secrecy, emergency procedures, and alleged misuse of parens patriae powers. A popular watchdog blog has amplified these concerns, accusing court insiders of shielding questionable decisions from public view. With a new hearing set for November 19, pressure mounts on Judge Ricciani as citizens demand transparency, accountability, and protection for the child at the center of the dispute.

      Maryann Petri

      Meet Maryann Petri: From Family Court Horror to Slam the Gavel

        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.

        Colorado Records Rat: Rabbi Bellinsky says smoking gun email damns Colorado’s top court administrator in perjury records scandal.

        Colorado Records Rat?: Steven Vasconcellos

          Rabbi Jacob Bellinsky, fresh off a landmark Tenth Circuit victory, is now battling Colorado’s top judicial administrator over public records. In a Denver courtroom, Bellinsky accuses State Court Administrator Steven Vasconcellos of perjury for swearing “no records exist” about judicial misconduct complaints. Emails tell a different story. One August 2024 email assured Bellinsky complaints were “actively investigated.” Another November 2024 email admitted a misconduct memo was “completed back in August” but withheld for five months. Bellinsky says these contradictions prove a cover-up. He calls it “a constitutional emergency.” The case could force unprecedented transparency—or validate systemic concealment.

          Streeto’s Connecticut Judicial Candy Scandal

            In a stunning collapse of judicial decorum, Judge Melissa Streeto of Connecticut’s Superior Court dropped more than just opinions — she delivered “bags of dicks” as gag gifts to her clerks. Literally. The Rockville-based judge, known for her rulings on habeas petitions, left x-rated candy shaped like male genitalia along with affectionate notes on subordinate desks, all while donning her latex beneath the black robe of justice. The Judicial Branch is spinning, with Chief Judge Elizabeth Bozzuto offering weak reassurances while Streeto “self-reports” to the Judicial Review Council.