Governor Rick Scott,
I know that this happened in 2000, but it shows a long history of abuse and corruption in the state of Florida. I have made you aware of numerous abuses. I have been connected with literally hundreds of other Floridians who have experienced constitution and civil rights abuse by DCF and local police agencies in supporting illegal search and seizures, fraudulent reports, and so much more.
Since you have been made aware of these problems, including the deaths of children in state care, and have chosen to do nothing about it, I know that you should personally be held responsible for each family torn apart.
You swore to defend the constitution and both the US Constitution and the FL Constitution protect citizens from these abuses. Are you standing up or are you burning your head so you can once again plead the 5th?
We do not advocate violence in any form
From: Schafer [mailto:schafer@sprynet.com]
Sent: Friday, June 16, 2000 5:00 PM
To: Denise Karp
Subject: Abusive Fla. DCF Sued for $501 million
ABUSIVE FLORIDA DCF SUED FOR $501 MILLION
On Wednesday, June 7,2000, a $501 million dollar civil rights class action suit was filed and accepted in the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, on behalf of families who allegedly have been victimized by the practices of the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Juvenile courts.
Attorney Robert Dowd, of Orlando, filed the 24-page suit on behalf of over 13 families and 50 minor children, including several from Okeechobee County.
Named as defendants in the action are the Florida Department of Children and Families, Judge Kathleen Kearney, the Juvenile Court System, DCF attorneys Bernstein, Swartz and Gillen, Attorney General of the State of Florida Robert Butterworth, DCF case workers Christina Garcia, Laura Dickinson, Lisa Suarez, and Michelle Akins.
In addition are listed Judge Kerry Evander and Judge Burton Conner. Also included in the suit are the guardian ad litem director, the Indian River Juvenile Facility and the inspector General for the State of Florida.
The suit alleges that the state engaged in a systematic process by which the families, parents, children and citizens of the State have been terrorized, traumatized and torn asunder as well as deprived of their fundamental rights without due process of law. The suit continues by stating that the motivation behind this system oppression is federal funding.
The state receives over one-fourth of it’s annual budget from the federal government. In the fiscal year ending in 1999, the state received over $10 billion from the federal government, of which the greatest share was for "human services." This amount is four-and-one-half times greater than that provided for education, and six times greater than funding for transportation.
The suit contends that Florida’s child welfare laws, as currently written and applied by the defendants, have been enacted specifically for the purpose of qualifying for that federal funding.
According to the court document, in accordance with the federal statutes, funding is increased in direct proportion to the number of children who can be brought within the juvenile courts, foster care and the compulsory adoption system.
LAWSUIT CLAIMS PARENTS ARE PRESUMED GUILTY, DENIED DUE PROCESS OF THE LAW.
The law explicitly calls this "freeing children" from their parents for adoption. Among the examples listed in the filing regarding the denial of due process includes allegations that the defendants flagrantly violated Florida Statute section 39, which contains the framework upon which DCF operates. It continues by stating that under current federal and state law parents are not permitted to know who has reported them to the state for alleged violations of child welfare laws.
Once the parents are accused, they are presumed guilty, and the burden is placed upon them to prove their innocence, said the lawsuit. In addition, the suit states that the juvenile courts are closed to the public and since they are a "star Chamber" due process can be abused with impunity.
As you can see I have been very busy here, and hopefully we will nail some thirty Judges very shortly. Among them, Walter Colbath, and Ron Hoy, from Palm Beach County.
I know that this happened in 2000, but it shows a long history of abuse and corruption in the state of Florida. I have made you aware of numerous abuses. I have been connected with literally hundreds of other Floridians who have experienced constitution and civil rights abuse by DCF and local police agencies in supporting illegal search and seizures, fraudulent reports, and so much more.
Since you have been made aware of these problems, including the deaths of children in state care, and have chosen to do nothing about it, I know that you should personally be held responsible for each family torn apart.
You swore to defend the constitution and both the US Constitution and the FL Constitution protect citizens from these abuses. Are you standing up or are you burning your head so you can once again plead the 5th?
We do not advocate violence in any form
From: Schafer [mailto:schafer@sprynet.com]
Sent: Friday, June 16, 2000 5:00 PM
To: Denise Karp
Subject: Abusive Fla. DCF Sued for $501 million
ABUSIVE FLORIDA DCF SUED FOR $501 MILLION
On Wednesday, June 7,2000, a $501 million dollar civil rights class action suit was filed and accepted in the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, on behalf of families who allegedly have been victimized by the practices of the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Juvenile courts.
Attorney Robert Dowd, of Orlando, filed the 24-page suit on behalf of over 13 families and 50 minor children, including several from Okeechobee County.
Named as defendants in the action are the Florida Department of Children and Families, Judge Kathleen Kearney, the Juvenile Court System, DCF attorneys Bernstein, Swartz and Gillen, Attorney General of the State of Florida Robert Butterworth, DCF case workers Christina Garcia, Laura Dickinson, Lisa Suarez, and Michelle Akins.
In addition are listed Judge Kerry Evander and Judge Burton Conner. Also included in the suit are the guardian ad litem director, the Indian River Juvenile Facility and the inspector General for the State of Florida.
The suit alleges that the state engaged in a systematic process by which the families, parents, children and citizens of the State have been terrorized, traumatized and torn asunder as well as deprived of their fundamental rights without due process of law. The suit continues by stating that the motivation behind this system oppression is federal funding.
The state receives over one-fourth of it’s annual budget from the federal government. In the fiscal year ending in 1999, the state received over $10 billion from the federal government, of which the greatest share was for "human services." This amount is four-and-one-half times greater than that provided for education, and six times greater than funding for transportation.
The suit contends that Florida’s child welfare laws, as currently written and applied by the defendants, have been enacted specifically for the purpose of qualifying for that federal funding.
According to the court document, in accordance with the federal statutes, funding is increased in direct proportion to the number of children who can be brought within the juvenile courts, foster care and the compulsory adoption system.
LAWSUIT CLAIMS PARENTS ARE PRESUMED GUILTY, DENIED DUE PROCESS OF THE LAW.
The law explicitly calls this "freeing children" from their parents for adoption. Among the examples listed in the filing regarding the denial of due process includes allegations that the defendants flagrantly violated Florida Statute section 39, which contains the framework upon which DCF operates. It continues by stating that under current federal and state law parents are not permitted to know who has reported them to the state for alleged violations of child welfare laws.
Once the parents are accused, they are presumed guilty, and the burden is placed upon them to prove their innocence, said the lawsuit. In addition, the suit states that the juvenile courts are closed to the public and since they are a "star Chamber" due process can be abused with impunity.
As you can see I have been very busy here, and hopefully we will nail some thirty Judges very shortly. Among them, Walter Colbath, and Ron Hoy, from Palm Beach County.
Please, tell me what happened in this suit? Was it settled? Is it still going on? I would like to get a similar class action suit going as well in Florida. How can I contact this attorney? I Mr. Robert Dowd still practicing in Orlando?
ReplyDeleteANY info you might have would be helpful. Thank you!!
Me too any luck with an attorney in florida judge kearney was responsible for taking my 2 kids
DeleteI am looking for Attorney In Orlando that can help sue DCF?
DeleteAttorney robert dowd died in 08
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Melissa Ramirez and my family has been torn apart by DCF I want to be a part of this class action lawsuit
DeleteRight know my niece and nephew are being held on a foster home wnen I have an approved home study.
I believe I can be of great assistance with this DCF joke of an agency. I lost my child for two years now and DCF is calling me apologizing for their novice investigators and apologizing for not ever doing their job and thinking outside the box. I want nothing in return but for DCF and its affiliates to be held accountable for their rudimentary skills, one of the reasons why they are revamping their qualifications and education levels and training of their employees is me so please call me when you can and I will share everything you need to have and send you everything you need.
DeletePlease contact me at anytime because I am all in on this and I will fight for the next person that loses their child due to false allegations that are written in all the reports but yet they turn the other cheek so they can keep the funding coming from our government. I know the story all too well so please reach out to me.
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Oh and one more thing... Let's not forget two Orlando area judges that love to "err on the side of caution" and take an innocent man's only child away from them!!!!! These judges do not care about the truth at all. They do not even read the reports and/or evidence in front of them. Oh, don't even let me get into the guardian ad litum's. Yeah, a real waste of money if you ask me. I think it would benefit all of us if we speak.
Delete407-415-2736
I have given my information but have not heard back from anyone. Can someone, anyone, give me this attorney's information on this class action lawsuit against DCF?
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Wish I could have been notified in this suit too.
DeleteWe had a case worker Michelle something or other, could be Akins now, back in the late 80's who HOUNDED my family, to the point of threatening to take my unborn child away from us as soon as it was born!
She made out lives HELL all due to a well-deserved belt spanking ONE TIME...THAT ex-stepson of mine was removed for our home, placed in foster care in Okeechobee County, where he was sexually abused countless times.
He grew up, turned 18, and found the man who molested him, stabbed him 17 times, and did 15 out of 17 years for it, wasting his life. He i now 33 years old & deserves SOME SORT of retribution for this all because of this Michelle!
SICK people are child protective workers & ruin lives every day!
It was wondering if I could use this write-up on my other website, I will link it back to your website though.Great Thanks.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ashisuncoast.com/
Any luck with attorney's
ReplyDelete