Attention to those litigants in child neglect and abuse proceedings who had Judge Carl Becker (now retired) presiding over their cases after his re-election and ruling against him.
The Petitioner, Delaware County Department of Social Services, is officially represented by the County Attorney.
Porter Kirkwood, who is now running for a judge, was County Attorney since 2013.
Porter Kirkwood and his entire family, according to records filed with the NYS Board of Elections, supported Becker in his re-election campaign of 2012.
I believe, such information had to be disclosed by Becker and by Kirkwood or his "of counsel" assistant County Attorney Amy Merklen.
I am sure such information was never disclosed.
I believe that there are grounds to make motions to vacate findings by Becker in favor of Porter Kirkwood's client based on such non-disclosures.
I am preparing a series of informational materials for publication on the topic of defense in neglect and abuse proceedings in New York.
The series will include:
- 15 single-language books (as planned now) covering various aspects of child neglect and abuse proceedings, from the point of prosecuted parents;
- podcasts;
- lectures/courses of study
The books will come in three formats:
- electronic books (Kindle or other electronic format, I am deciding);
- print;
- audiobooks
and in three languages:
- English - author's version;
- Russian - author's version;
- Spanish - translation
The first book of the series is planned to come out in November-December of this year.
It will be in English and will be in electronic and print format.
I hope to release the matching audio-book, podcast and a lecture/educational course close in time.
Of course, it is a steep learning curve for me to learn new tricks at my old age - podcasts, audiobooks, online lectures, designing your own book covers...
Yet, it is as exciting as it is difficult, and I value more than anything else my independence from any kind of licensing and permits.
Self-publishing your own books is not yet licensed in this great country, as nearly everything else is, so I will share my knowledge this way.
The Spanish version will be published as soon as the translation is ready. I am working with potential producers and presenters of the Spanish-version podcasts, audiobooks and lectures.
The Russian set will follow the English version.
It is a large project and, I am sure, will take a long time to complete.
Yet, I think that such information is badly needed for the public, and I will do my best to provide it.
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Update as of March 26, 2016 - suspension of my law license on November 13, 2015, and the time required to fight it, delayed the book's, and the series', publication, but I am working on it.
