Tag Archives: family rights

Our Grassroots Journey April 2025

By Connie Reguli JD

April 6 2025

Okay I made it to DC. Up at 4. Nashville. Atlanta. One hour to get a coffeee at the airport. Second leg of flight sat by the baby. I always chose the baby. After all I am a grandma. Her daddy is a lobbyist. That was convenient. Got a grumpy flight attendant who told me he did not have time for me. I was rescued by the man across the aisle. I try to stay invisible when I fly. I don’t want to be the person that the crew talks about later…”there was that one woman…”. Rescue stranger also has vitiligo so we engaged in a brief exchange while unloading the plane. Reagan in its usual packed noisy chaotically organized frame of mind. Waiting for our Alabama warrior Terri LaPoint before we head across the bridge. Let’s see what this week holds.

MONDAY APRIL 7

It has been a busy and energetic day. We had eight meetings with both Republicans and Democrats.

We have families from Family Forward Project from Alabama Illinois Tennessee Alabama Connecticut Florida Washington Texas and Pennsylvania.

And we need you too. Here are a few of today’s pictures.

We will end the day with dinner and getting by ready for another day.

Tuesday April 9. 2025

We started at Tennessee Tuesday with Sen Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty with a huge crowd.

And rallied later in the day.

Evening was fun as well

Wednesday and Thursday April 9 and 10

Time has moved so fast that I forgot to upload the adventure in Wednesday night.

Here are a few examples f the highlights over the last two days

Congressman Mark Messmer – Indiana

Friday April 11 2025

Winding down with a few weeping and casual time at the Anatole Hotel.

And DONE for the week.

The Business of Humanity – Privatized Probation.

By Connie Reguli

Another civil rights lawsuit has emerged over privatized probation. The reporter is clear and succinct. Probationers are kept on perpetual probation to keep the fees flowing. Now they are clever enough to use names that sound like official government offices but they are all a human cash scheme.

In West Tennessee Judge Bell wa sanctioned for setting up his in-law (let’s see brother in law maybe) in the probate probation business and then putting more misdemeanants on probation.

Of course Judge Bell was also the one overseeing compliance with probation.

In Rutherford County Tenn a more egregious scheme was uncovered with Providence probation. Overcharging thousands of citizens without oversight.

The 2018 Tenn Comptrollers report is found here. Finding inadequate oversight, policies, and supervision:

I will supplement this report with some additional information later.

June 25, 2022

tennesseelookout.com/2022/06/22/private-probation-company-draws-lawsuit-from-smith-county-man/

This is the most important election in the country.

fb.watch/cLvbt4zXxq/

Parent partners and individual advocacy

capacity.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/cbc/sample-policies-procedures-cp-00184.pdf

Parent partner program.

👆

Washington State and family first

https://www.invw.org/2021/04/09/washington-lawmakers-look-to-keep-families-together-as-part-of-foster-care-reform/?fbclid=IwAR39dUPauzaXOdfYIAy6cEd2u2yHzt3Kwo0_H4NLOShgcYgxWG5mmX-JhB4

2021 Tennessee proposed legislation – child welfare and families

Published by Connie Reguli for

Family Forward Project and Family Forward Foundation.

See the video description here.

Waiting on Family advocacy bill.

Bills pending as of 2/12/2021 👇

Rules of Juvenile Court.

By Connie Reguli.

Florida 2020

www.flcourts.org/content/download/217911/1973412/Florida-Rules-of-Juvenile-Procedure.pdf

Kentucky – and immunity

By Connie Reguli

Please listen to the legal arguments in this case

It is about a brith mom who had one positive drug test results and three negative test results. The state put the family in a safety plan.

The state dropped the safety plan.

The parents then filed a civil rights complaint for Fourth and Fourteenth procedural and substantive due process rights.

The argument is about qualified immunity.

www.courtlistener.com/mp3/2019/12/06/holly_schulkers_v._elizabeth_kammer_cl.mp3

By Connie Reguli.

SCHULKERS v. KAMMER

William O. Bertelsman, United States District Judge.

Kimberly Jenci Hawthorne , D. Brent Irvin , Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Office of Legal Services, Frankfort, KY, Ellen M. Houston , Michael Joseph Enzweiler , Dressman Benzinger LaVelle P.S.C., Crestview Hills, KY, for Defendants.

https://www.leagle.com/decision/infdco20190211a69

RECORD YOUR HEARINGS

By Connie Reguli

Connie Reguli in Washington D.C. – 2019. By Freedom Public Press

TENNESSEE FAMILIES – LET ME BE LOUD AND CLEAR ON THIS POINT. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO RECORD ALL COURT HEARINGS. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A COURT REPORTER AND QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO VIDEO TAPE THE HEARING.

RULE 115. RECORDING HEARINGS

All hearings, except ex parte hearings, shall be audio recorded by the clerk of the court and retained for a minimum of one year from the date of the final disposition of the case.

Advisory Commission Comments. In accordance with T.C.A. §§ 37-1-124(c) and 37-1-159(a), the juvenile court is a court of record. Under this rule, all juvenile courts must create and maintain an audio recording of all hearings in juvenile court, in addition to keeping and maintaining appropriate minutes of hearings. Alternative means of recording, e.g. audio-visual equipment, are acceptable. This rule does not preclude simultaneous recording by a court reporter or other means of recording by a party. This rule is not applicable to reviews conducted by a foster care review board.

In addition, the Tennessee Code provides the attorneys can record any proceeding.

20-9-104. Tape recording of proceedings.

It is lawful for attorneys representing parties in proceedings in any of the courts of this state to use tape recorders as an aid in making notes of the proceedings.