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Residents urge Franklin County commissioners to review family-court practices after public comments
Summary
At an April 1 meeting, several residents told Franklin County commissioners they believe family-court orders have placed children with dangerous caregivers and urged the board to forward patterns of judicial bias and due-process concerns to the Independent Commission on Judicial Conduct; commissioners said counsel will review what actions are available.
Several residents used the Franklin County Board of Commissioners’ April 1 public-comment period to raise allegations about family-court decisions and urge the board to act.
"This isn't being followed," said Marcy Torres, who opened a series of public comments by reading an oath and urging the commissioners to forward "documented patterns of judicial bias, ethical breaches, [and] due-process violations" to the Independent Commission on Judicial Conduct (she cited "RCW 264"). Torres told the board she has cases in which, she said, a judge gave custody to men who in public hearings disclosed sexually abusive behavior toward children. "This is disgusting," she said.
Phoenix Byrd described a guardian ad litem report and a parenting plan she said put children at risk, citing conditions in the plan that prohibit a father from possessing firearms, restrict alcohol or marijuana during visits, and require psychiatric follow-through. "It is concerning that his emotional abuse of control…poses a great risk not only to mom and her child but to the children as well," Byrd read from the report.
Other commenters gave similar accounts of losing custody and described difficulty securing legal representation. One speaker told the board she had been unable to get an attorney to take her case and said court filings and repeated motions had overwhelmed pro se litigants.
Commissioners acknowledged the concerns and said they would direct staff and county counsel to review what the county can do. "We've instructed our counsel here to be looking into this, what we can do," Commissioner Dedeur said during his report, and he encouraged residents to continue bringing documented concerns to the board.
No formal county action—such as a referral to the Independent Commission on Judicial Conduct or a binding investigation—was taken at the meeting. Several speakers said they would submit written materials and requested written responses from the board within 30 days.
What happens next: Commissioners asked for written submissions of evidence and told speakers they would have counsel examine options. The board did not vote on any judicial referrals or change court policy during the meeting.
