‘My mom has never been married and I would like a dad’

Background: Charlotte Hardwick’s Dear Judge (Kid’s Letters to the Judge) is a fascinating collection of letters which children caught in divorces have written to family law judges.

In the letter below, a fatherless young girl writes a judge asking, “If a good dad that is getting kicked out of his family needs a new one, please make sure he sees our picture.”

Dear Judge,

I heard on the television that half of the people who get married are getting divorced. I think about half of those people are dads.
 
Some must still be good. My mom has never been married and I would like a dad.
 
Could you put this picture of me and my mom on the front of your desk in the court? If a good dad that is getting kicked out of his family needs a new one, please make sure he sees our picture. If a bad dad sees our picture and asks about us tell him we are not home.
 
I am pretty and a good girl. My mom is pretty and a good mom. We have a house and will get a dog if you think it will help.
 
Thank you, Trish P.
 

Help for Los Angeles/Ventura County Dads Peter M. Walzer, Certified Family Law Specialist www.California-Divorce.com