Someone suggested that I go tell my story on the Dr. Phil TV show, because he is doing a series on family court reform. So I watched the show.
Dr. Phil is a menace. The show made no attempt to give a balanced view of anything. He claims to be some sort of child psychologist, but he did not display any such knowledge. He would just listen to a one-sided story, and say "I get it." His main guest was Katie Tagle, whose story was discussed here last month. Her ex-husband committed a murder-suicide. As the Israelis have learned, it is very tough to avoid suicide-murderers.
The main point of the show was that the family court should do a better job of predicting future crimes.
One of the complainers had been in family court for eight years. No one considered the possibility that family court intervention could have caused the problem in the first place. The closest it came to saying that was to say that court experts make money on conflict, and do not have an incentive to resolve problems.
A lawyer said that criminal accusations belong in criminal court. I agree with that. The family court is ill-suited to deal with an accusation of a crime. If you want to report a crime, call the police.
Update: A reader suggests the Wikipedia article on Dr. Phil, for the sordid details on him. In short, don't rely on his advice.
2 comments:
I thought of you and your situation when I watched that episode of Dr. Phil. On the one hand, it would be really interesting to get your story out there. And on the other hand, I would be afraid Dr. Phil would put a slant on it.
If you have followed "The Dr. Phil Family" you'd know that he often makes situations MUCH WORSE through his counselling and intervention. I guess its all just grist for the Dr Phil mill.
I am the father that the story regarding the "teenager". Glenn Sacks wrote the response to that show. It is heartbreaking that my child is so poisoned that she would do this.
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