Family Court

After nine years of marriage and unsuccessful attempts to have children, Chukwudera B. Okoli and his wife, Blessing, separated. At the time, they were on a waiting list for donated eggs to pursue fertility treatment. When eggs became available the following year, Blessing Okoli sought her husband's consent to begin the process of in vitro fertilization. He agreed, but only on the understanding that he would not be legally responsible for any child. But on Tuesday, the Massachusetts Appeals Court ruled that the husband must pay child support for twin girls, born in 2003 after being...

Flamboyant former NBA star Dennis Rodman has been told he could face up to 20 days in jail unless he pays some $860,000 in child support. But his lawyer said he's made payments and will fight to have his contempt of court finding overturned. Rodman appeared in an Orange County court Tuesday for sentencing but it was postponed to May 29. Rodman, 50, was found in contempt of court in November for failure to pay child support for his two children. His ex-wife, Michelle Rodman, 44, contends that he owes more than $860,000 in child and spousal support.

WHILE IT'S newsworthy that a New Hampshire man named Thomas Ball killed himself out of desperation in connection with a difficult divorce, the Globe's reporting on the larger issues raised by the man's death was unbalanced ("Dad leaves clues to his desperation; A grisly suicide after a 10-year divorce battle," Metro, July 10). The piece cited one person saying that the man's story, in terms of men being treated unfairly, "is pretty common. " In fact, the spouse with the most money usually wins the most legal advantages in divorce proceedings, and this is more often the husband than the wife.

After nine years of marriage and unsuccessful attempts to have children, Chukwudera B. Okoli and his wife, Blessing, separated. At the time, they were on a waiting list for donated eggs to pursue fertility treatment. When eggs became available the following year, Blessing Okoli sought her husband's consent to begin the process of in vitro fertilization. He agreed, but only on the understanding that he would not be legally responsible for any child. But on Tuesday, the Massachusetts Appeals Court ruled that the husband must pay child support for twin girls, born in 2003 after being...

A family court judge who ruled that a pregnant woman with schizophrenia should undergo an abortion and be sterilized sharply defended her decision yesterday, while denouncing Boston University for withdrawing what she said was a job offer amid the controversy. In a rare personal defense of the reasoning behind a court ruling, Christina Harms, who retired from the bench last month after 23 years, said she concluded that the woman, a 31-year-old who suffered from delusions, would choose to terminate her pregnancy if she were mentally competent, chiefly so that she could resume...

A retired Massachusetts judge on Tuesday defended her decision to order a mentally ill woman to have an abortion and be sterilized against her wishes, and she blasted Boston University for rescinding a job offer after her ruling sparked controversy. Christina Harms said she believes the schizophrenic woman would have chosen to have an abortion if she had been mentally competent. In her ruling, she granted a petition from the woman's parents to have their daughter declared incompetent and awarded guardianship to them for the purpose of consenting to the abortion.

PROVIDENCE -- The state's chief Family Court judge is urging police chiefs to refer teenage drinking and drug cases to his court instead of to local juvenile hearing boards. Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah Jr. said Family Court provided better services to deal with substance abuse cases. He said moving teenagers out of the hearing boards and into the Family Court system would recognize drug and alcohol use as a "serious and dangerous offense. " "The Family Court has both staff and specialized programs in place to effectively and efficiently handle this...

Earlier this month, a Norfolk probate judge declared a pregnant woman with schizophrenia incompetent and ordered her to undergo an abortion, stating she could be "coaxed, bribed, or even enticed" into the hospital for the procedure. Unbidden, the judge further directed that the 32-year-old woman be sterilized "to avoid this painful situation from recurring in the future. " Yesterday, the state's appeals court struck down the decision in unusually harsh terms, saying the woman had clearly expressed her opposition to abortion as a Catholic.

The wishes of individuals declared mentally incompetent often go unheeded in family court, lawyers and social workers say, costing them control over the most personal decisions. In light of this month's stunning family court ruling that a woman diagnosed with schizophrenia should undergo an abortion and be sterilized, mental health specialists say the case, while an extreme example, casts light on an often unsettling reality for those deemed unable to make decisions for themselves.

PROVIDENCE - Albert E. DeRobbio, the longtime chief judge of Rhode Island's District Court who oversaw the reorganization of the problem-plagued traffic tribunal, died yesterday at his home in Cranston. He was 79. Judge DeRobbio, who was at work Friday, had suffered from diabetes. No cause of death had been determined. He had been chief judge since 1987, overseeing the District Court system and its judges. He had also been a Superior Court judge, a prosecutor who served as chief of the criminal division in the attorney general's office, and legal counsel in the state...

A family court judge who ruled that a pregnant woman with schizophrenia should undergo an abortion and be sterilized sharply defended her decision yesterday, while denouncing Boston University for withdrawing what she said was a job offer amid the controversy. In a rare personal defense of the reasoning behind a court ruling, Christina Harms, who retired from the bench last month after 23 years, said she concluded that the woman, a 31-year-old who suffered from delusions, would choose to terminate her pregnancy if she were mentally competent, chiefly so that she could resume...

A retired Massachusetts judge on Tuesday defended her decision to order a mentally ill woman to have an abortion and be sterilized against her wishes, and she blasted Boston University for rescinding a job offer after her ruling sparked controversy. Christina Harms said she believes the schizophrenic woman would have chosen to have an abortion if she had been mentally competent. In her ruling, she granted a petition from the woman's parents to have their daughter declared incompetent and awarded guardianship to them for the purpose of consenting to the abortion.

MEDIATION FOR FAMILIES: Divorce can be painful - both emotionally and financially if the matter drags out in court. The husband-and-wife attorney team of William M. Levine and E. Chouteau Levine of Dedham last month launched a business to mediate disputes involving family law, such as divorce and probate, before they get to court. Negotiating a settlement in a neutral setting, they say, allows the clients to head into court with an agreement in hand, which saves them money in legal fees and makes judges happy because it doesn't clog an already crowded...

The Massachusetts Appeals Court ruled yesterday that same-sex married couples who have a baby by artificial insemination are bound by the same child custody laws as heterosexual couples. In a ruling released yesterday, the court said current state law gives the two same-sex spouses equal legal standing when a child conceived by artificial means is born during their marriage, though the law refers to a "husband" and a "married woman. " Citing the Supreme Judicial Court's historic 2003 ruling that extended constitutional protections to same-sex couples, the court said...

The wishes of individuals declared mentally incompetent often go unheeded in family court, lawyers and social workers say, costing them control over the most personal decisions. In light of this month's stunning family court ruling that a woman diagnosed with schizophrenia should undergo an abortion and be sterilized, mental health specialists say the case, while an extreme example, casts light on an often unsettling reality for those deemed unable to make decisions for themselves.

Earlier this month, a Norfolk probate judge declared a pregnant woman with schizophrenia incompetent and ordered her to undergo an abortion, stating she could be "coaxed, bribed, or even enticed" into the hospital for the procedure. Unbidden, the judge further directed that the 32-year-old woman be sterilized "to avoid this painful situation from recurring in the future. " Yesterday, the state's appeals court struck down the decision in unusually harsh terms, saying the woman had clearly expressed her opposition to abortion as a Catholic.

Flamboyant former NBA star Dennis Rodman has been told he could face up to 20 days in jail unless he pays some $860,000 in child support. But his lawyer said he's made payments and will fight to have his contempt of court finding overturned. Rodman appeared in an Orange County court Tuesday for sentencing but it was postponed to May 29. Rodman, 50, was found in contempt of court in November for failure to pay child support for his two children. His ex-wife, Michelle Rodman, 44, contends that he owes more than $860,000 in child and spousal support.

TRENTON, N.J. — A New Jersey couple who gave their children Nazi-inspired names should not regain custody of them, a state appeals court ruled yesterday, citing the parents’ own disabilities and the risk of serious injury to their children. The state removed Heath and Deborah Campbell’s three small children from their home in January 2009. A month earlier, the family drew attention when a supermarket refused to decorate a birthday cake for their son, Adolf Hitler Campbell.

An 11-year-old and two teenagers have acknowledged their roles in attacking and robbing several pedestrians in downtown Philadelphia. The trio admitted to allegations including robbery, conspiracy, rioting and assault in connection with the July 29 mob attacks. The admissions made Thursday in Family Court are the equivalent of guilty pleas. Judge Kevin Dougherty characterized the trio's actions as "hunting humans for sport. " The judge ordered the 17-year-old and 16-year-old to remain in state custody.

WHILE IT'S newsworthy that a New Hampshire man named Thomas Ball killed himself out of desperation in connection with a difficult divorce, the Globe's reporting on the larger issues raised by the man's death was unbalanced ("Dad leaves clues to his desperation; A grisly suicide after a 10-year divorce battle," Metro, July 10). The piece cited one person saying that the man's story, in terms of men being treated unfairly, "is pretty common. " In fact, the spouse with the most money usually wins the most legal advantages in divorce proceedings, and this is more often the husband than the wife.