A Family Court judge in PA should be objective and impartial at all times. This is the only way to ensure that both parties in a child custody case get the fair hearing they're entitled to. However, the recent suspension of a PA judge for improper conduct raises significant questions about what happens when a judge fails to stay impartial, and how their attitude can derail your child custody efforts.

The Case Against Judge Younge

On June 2, 2021, Common Pleas Court Judge Lyris Younge was suspended for six months, barred from serving in Family Court, and ordered to serve the rest of her tenure on probation until 2026.

The reason for the disciplinary action? “Repeated, clearly improper conduct” in Family Court, including:

• throwing individuals in jail without any legal justification
• keeping children separated from their parents for over a year, or longer, without cause
• handcuffing parents in the courtroom without justification
• belittling and insulting those who appeared before her

As noted by the Court of Judicial Discipline, Judge Younge's behavior was extensive and inexcusable, and it brings the judiciary into disrepute. While she's been ordered to write letters of apology to the parties she's wronged, this can't make up for the distress and harm she's brought upon so many families during an already stressful time in their lives.

How an Impartial Judge Can Damage Your Custody Case

While Judge Younge's case is exceptional, it goes to show how problematic an impartial judge can be, and the negative impact they can have on your custody case.

A judge must make an objective decision based solely on the evidence before them. And in Family Court, they must uphold what's in the best interests of the child at all times. However, if they allow personal opinions to affect their judgment, they deny you the right to a fair hearing under the law, and they're failing to consider what's right for your child.

In extreme cases, an impartial judge may result in one party losing custody of a child, which has devastating consequences for the whole family. Even in less severe cases, a biased judge could force parties into unfair custody and visitation agreements which cause unnecessary stress for the children involved.

Let LLF Law Firm Fight Your Corner

Judges are only human like the rest of us, and sometimes, they let their personal biases cloud their judgment. But with a skilled and dedicated attorney like the attorneys at LLF Law Firm on your side, there's no need to worry about judicial bias – we will fight your corner all the way and ensure you get the fair hearing you deserve.

If you need help with child custody in PA, call the LLF Law Firm today on 888-535-3686 or send us a message online.