Mass. Citizens Demand Relief from Judicial Probate and Family Court Abuse – More Gets Uncovered on Judge Ross

FROM OUR PRINTED MAY 1, 2021 EDITION

by Broadside Staff

Faced with little recourse and years of what they claim has been the unlawful, strange, and extremely biased behavior on the part of Massachusetts Probate and Family Court Judge Abbe L. Ross, a growing group of “victims” is seeking redress from the Legislature.

Citing bias, unorthodox behavior, financially crippling, ill-timed rulings, personal intrusions into rulings, strange delays, and a host of other actions, support has been mounting for formal hearings for judicial reform and to bring to light a discussion and removal of Judge Ross.

A bill (with temporary docket number HD-2881) has been filed with the Massachusetts House of Representatives seeking the removal of Judge Ross. According to the bill’s author, Judge Ross has already been transferred from two other courts where certain complaints are now finding their way into the public domain. Some have subsequently likened the re-assignments to the shifting around of certain religious staff in a certain Boston-based church in the past.

In explaining his attempt to bring light to the actions of Judge Ross, Walter F. Sorenson, Jr. shared that his “bill stemmed from a total and utter failure of the system that is supposed to protect children, not harm them.”

Others have echoed “extremely biased behavior, selective use of case law,” as well as “repeated and frequent failure to accept documented evidence,” and “violations of the Judicial Code of Ethics,” amongst other actions on the part of the judge.

“All the state-run departments, commissions and agencies that were supposedly in place to protect children, remove bad judges, and give child support to parents to feed their children – all failed to do their duty to protect children,” Sorenson shared.

An online petition (https://tinyurl.com/probateproblems) details one mother’s complaints against Judge Ross, and urges others to speak out. She echoes the calls from others.

Sorenson explained the long, multi-year, extremely debilitating and biased use of legal gymnastics by Judge Ross, which has forced Sorenson to run the gauntlet of filings and legal bills with the deck stacked implacably against him.

CUSTODIAL PARENT FORCED TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT TO NON-CHILD CARING PARENT

Sorenson related how unbelievable it is to find himself forced to pay enormous sums in child support to his ex-wife, when all three kids are living with him, the father. Unless someone lived through this, he explained, they might never believe that you could be forced to pay out thousands and thousands each month in child support – free money to your ex above and beyond any other payments to her – for more than 3½ years while the kids were living with him, not his ex, and he needed that money to feed, cloth, and care for his children.

According to Sorenson, Judge Ross blocked any motion from being heard, and showed him the type of extreme bias that she has shown to so many who are now stepping forward. 

“Right now, today, I’m still paying thousands of dollars in child support to a woman who has not had the children in over 3½ years,” Sorenson said. “This begs the question: Why can’t a father spend his money on his own children? Or why can’t a father obtain child support for his children in Massachusetts?” Others have echoed that isn’t about sour grapes, but rather about due and fair application of the law.

Prior to filing the petition to the Legislature, Sorenson attempted to get some review – any review – of Judge Ross’s actions from the Commission for Judicial Conduct (CJC), Chief Justice John Casey, the Board of Bar Overseers (BBO), the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC), and the Governor’s Office.

As he explained, after getting no relief  “in a broken system,” Sorenson did “what any other good, loving parent would do to save my children from the harm of Judge Abbe L. Ross.” After doing extensive research, he drafted his own “Bill of Address,” which is allowed under the Massachusetts Constitution, and sent it to his duly elected Representative Lenny Mirra for filing in the House. After a long COVID-19 wait, in late February 2021 the Bill of Address HD-2881 was placed on the House docket. 

For his part, Rep. Mirra respected his constituent and filed it on his behalf. Since that time, Rep. Mirra explained in a phone interview that he’s been approached by many in phone calls and e-mails, encouraging the dialogue and hearings for them to present their concerns.

Rep. Mirra confirmed what the Broadside has witnessed and what Sorenson related: “Soon after the Bill of Address was made public, well over a dozen other victims of Judge Abbe L. Ross started to come forward, all with similar stories.” Many have cited “weird behavior,” “bias, removing children from parents with no evidence, not accepting evidence,” “one-sided rulings and some even more horrific,” and other detailed complaints. Many stated that they had filed complaints with multiple state agencies, but nothing was done.

The following petition/information links are being shared:

https://tinyurl.com/probateproblems

https://tinyurl.com/probateform

URGENT PUBLIC NOTICE

The Massachusetts House will be assigning Bill of Address HD-2881 to a committee in the next few weeks and a hearing will be scheduled for all victims of Judge Abbe Ross. If you have been impacted by Judge Abbe Ross or know someone who has, please, it’s very important to fill out the confidential form provided to participate in the hearing and subsequent Class Action Lawsuit. 

SEE THE FORM AT:
https://tinyurl.com/probateform.