Power Broker Cuda: Navigating Tensions Between Lazy Family Court Judges and Greedy Family Law Attorneys

The recent collaboration between the Connecticut Judicial Branch and the Connecticut Bar Association [CBA] Family Law Section might appear to hold promise. But there is tension between family law attorneys and judges in CT. 

The issue is the recently enacted Pathways docket, a new process for managing divorces and custody cases. 

Administrative Judge Michael A. Albis, and Chief Court Administrator Elizabeth A. Bozzuto are involved in discussions, and attorney Alexander Cuda appears to be at the forefront on behalf of  family law attorneys.

Alexander Cuda attorney

The issue lies with how sneaky Connecticut courts transitioned to Pathways to make life easier for judges, without considering how it might not enhance the pathway to profits for family law attorneys. 

Before Pathways was implemented, divorce case motions were heard within three weeks after filing. This meant multiple court appearances and gravy billings for lawyers, but judges were compelled to appear and act often as nothing more than an authority figure as attorneys showed off to clients, stoked conflict between spouses, and made the poor judge listen to hours of bullshit when the judge and the attorneys knew in advance what the ruling would be before they appeared at Court. 

The new Pathways process consolidates multiple motions on one hearing date to allow the judge to turn a half dozen hearing dates into one court date.

But attorneys now bill only one, instead of billing for a half dozen court appearances.

In family law, lawyers for both sides usually decide the essential issues, often collaborating secretly to maximize billings. They get the Court to appoint a GAL to help rake the dollars in if the family has money. The GAL collaborates with the lawyers, then tells the Court to assign a custody evaluator, who the GAL instructs on what to write in her custody report, with custody depending on what will bring in the most billings. 

The notorious DR. Jessica Biren-Caverly, who determines custody based on the GAL’s instructions.

For their convenience, the resolution plan date of Pathways is no longer in front of them. Instead, there is a middleman – a family relations counselor, an employee of the Court, whose job is to examine what is best for the judges.

The family law attorneys want the counselors to do what the judges always did – review the case to identify:

  • The kind of help needed to prolong the case as long as there is money.
  • Areas where the spouses agree, and how to support the lawyers plan to get them to disagree and fan flames of conflict. 
  • How to prevent reaching a final agreement on any disputed issue until the money runs out.

With Pathways, the Family Relations Counselor listens to the family law attorneys on the status of the case, then recommends to the Court the level of court services needed. 

Based on the recommendations of the Family Relations Counselor, the Court places the case on one of three tracks:

  • Track A — for divorces that require little court time and resources – for those without little money. They settle these fast with no-nonsense rulings and give paupers the bums’ rush. 
  • Track B — for divorces that require moderate court resources and time – for those with moderate amounts of money. These cases are bread and butter for rank-and-file family law attorneys, and sometimes pay decent when government funds may be tapped if the rulings go a certain way.
  • Track C — for divorces that require a lot of court time for spouses with a lot of money. Couples with more money than brains will see their wealth transferred over several years to their lawyers and other professionals. This is especially good for well-to-do pedophiles and abusers who want their kids, for men who want to avoid alimony and child support and are willing to steal the marital assets, and mothers with money who want to oust the father, take his earnings and hang him to the wall. The seriously deranged, the high-strung, the frightened, and if they are none of these, then the lawyers will create it by instilling such fear and threats stoked in collaboration from the opposing attorney that war and a breakdown are inevitable. Then, they will get the Court to appoint therapists to prove and bolster it. 

But Pathways was not designed for lawyers. Judges designed it because they don’t get paid more regardless of how many hearings they hold to reinforce needs of rapacious attorneys. 

The judges make a salary of $189,483 and don’t get overtime or combat pay, along with incessant demands and blatant lies, because attorneys who make two or three times than what the judges make want to bilk more from warring spouses and prolong the case as long as they can to transfer their clients’ net worth to themselves.

The irony is that as soon as these lawyers bankrupt their clients, the judges they told to prolong the case are now expected to hurry up and settle it.

The Pathway system could still help spouses fight until they can’t pay anymore, or when one is defeated or dead, and help win or lose in long, drawn-out, complex issues like child custody, spousal support, and the division of major assets, which intelligent people should be wise enough to settle without giving half of their assets to family law attorneys. 

To protect their turf, the CBA Family Law Section submitted proposed changes to Pathway. Review and discussions are underway. But it needs adjustment. From the attorneys’ perspective, just because judges do not enjoy, for instance, taking kids away from stay-at-home mothers on bogus claims of parental alienation to hand to an affluent pedophile – that doesn’t mean the judges should make it harder for the attorneys to bill the pedophiles for the work they have to do.

The attorneys need to tweak Pathways. Compromise may yet make it perfect for judges and attorneys alike. But this ongoing negotiation demonstrates the Connecticut Bar Association’s influence through lobbying, political donations, and judicial ratings. This influence extends to the governor’s selection of judges, legislative appointments, and reappointments of judges every seven years.

This influence is not small for a judge who plans to be a lifer.

Judge Gerard Adelman at his reappointment hearing. He had to convince legislators that all the children he sold were sold in the interest of justice.

Because of the angst felt by family law attorneys concerned about paydays, who expressed displeasure with Pathways, the hint is that those most responsible in the judiciary for not making the Pathways system fun for lawyers may find it rough going when reappointment time comes.

As Alexander Cuda might say, what goes around comes around.

About the author

Frank Parlato

36 Comments

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  • Mr. Cuda takes pleasure in inflicting as much damage on the teens’ mom as possible.

    Shame on Connecticut for letting him do that.

    Who’s done more harm to Connecticut residents so far: Paul Boyne, Attorney Nickola Cunha or Alex Cuda?

  • What does Mr. Cuda know about Jennifer Lindstrom’s case? Did Connecticut “family court” and/or Joan Kloth-Zanard’s business partner’s “therapy” push a Jennifer #3 over the edge?

    What was the result of the police investigation?

    • Recent news about the Needle/Cuda/Jennifer Lindstrom case and the three Connecticut judges’ case against Paul Boyne isn’t anywhere. The latest “news” looks like it’s from a month ago.

      Where’s the result of the investigation and the obituary in the Needle/Cuda/Jennifer Lindstrom case?

      What happens if we eventually learn that the same kind of coverup in the 1970s New London Kevin Showalter case also happened in the 2023 Westport Needle/Cuda/Lindstrom case?

  • Is Rhirodan appearing again today pro se? God I hope not.

    I also hope O’Neill has taken the time between the last hearing and this one to get up to speed on this case and realizes he’s been duped. I suppose my wishful thinking in this regard is silly if Cuda owns him. Which would be blatantly proven if ONeill sides with him again.

    Ought to be an interesting day, keep us posted Frank.

    • Karen reached out to a few lawyers for help. No lawyers will touch the case.

      Most Connecticut lawyers saw what happened to Attorney Nicola Cunha after she complained about the corruption in Connecticut family courts. Mr. Adelman and Mr. Moukawsher disbarred Attorney Cunha. It was all over the local and national news.

      It was a wake up call to Connecticut family court lawyers: “Go along to get along or you will be disbarred.”

      Meanwhile, Steve Stafstrom (Jesuit University/Catholic Church) works at the Pullman and Comley “big law firm” with colleagues Lynda Munro (funder of Sidney Horowitz’s work in the Boyne case) and Robert Holzberg (wrote a report to destroy the Catholic Church in Connecticut).

      Outward appearances look like Mr. Stafstrom made the right choices for money and a career in politics.

      Today, Representative Stafstrom is absolutely furious about “ticket scandals” in police departments. He wants someone to launch a full investigation of those police departments. Mr. Stafstrom doesn’t want an investigation of the perverts and the corruption in family courts because there’s no money and no political future on that path. After marching lockstep with Mr. Tong, Representative Stafstrom heads the state Judiciary Committee.

      This past spring, he seemed especially pleased to introduce Mr. O’Neill to the people of Connecticut. Today will tell us more about the hidden politics of Connecticut than anything else.

      • Representative Stafstrom be on the look out for Mail . Documents demonstrating what is happening in your courts. How absolutely nothing is being done about it . It’s going to be a large packet. Please read it.

          • Caring the way Chris Murphy cares about starting WWIII in The Ukraine in 2014?

            Or, the way Jim Himes, “Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence” cared when he used Twitter to mock unsuspecting soon-to-be-jailed citizens who were welcomed into our Capitol Building on January 6th? Jim Himes called them “tourists”. How could a “Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence” find that to be so funny?

            Mr. Stafstrom who works at the same law firm as Lynda Munro probably thinks it’s funny that Mr. O’Neill landed on the Ambrose case. Probably the same kind of funny Dr. Sidney Horowitz found in his joke about his favorite game being “Angry Birds” around the time Lynda Munro allegedly arranged for the state to pay Dr. Horowitz twice the state rate for the Boyne invoice.

          • What motivates our state legislators to do what they do?

            Is it mostly an honest sense of obligation to represent citizens or do personal interests motivate them more?

            Most people in Connecticut want honest, non-profit, non-adversarial family courts. Why don’t legislators want the same?

            Most Connecticut citizens don’t want to send billions of dollars to pay for murder and violence in The Ukraine and Russia. Why does it look like Senators Murphy and Blumenthal provoked that horrible war?

            Could it be that Connecticut residents who are descendants of those who arranged for the horrible killing of the Romanov family in Russia arranging for that same kind of violence in the Ukraine and Russia today?

            What kind of people organize, fund and then turn a blind eye to the violence family courts wage? The direct and indirect violence waged against children and families is throughout the state today. Are the people of he state to assume there no sociopaths or psychopaths in government offices — or should we understand that we are in desperate need of a State Sociopath and Psychopath Detection Office?

            Notice the first steps in the killing of the Romanov family:

            Punishment, isolation and a lack of news ….

            https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a21939615/romanov-family-execution-100th-anniversary-book-excerpt/

    • When the financier of child abduction pays, in this case Ambrose, the kids and the money go to him. Winner takes all.

      As Robert Horwitz told Karen “He won. He won it all”. Ah, such an abusive child trafficker. And he said this following Grossmans “temporary orders” of child abuse.

      So yes, as in all these child trafficking cases the targeted parent is left indigent and pro se is the only option.

      They must appear pro-se until the Cudas and Ambrose’s of the world pay enough and use connections to get a criminal conviction.

      As Chris Ambrose said under oath- he asked the madison police how to get the kids out of their moms loving care- (such a great dad) and the response allegedly was – a criminal charge.

      But the devil took a step too far. And O’Neill knows he’s been used and played.

  • Alexander Cuda’s office worked with Joan Kloth-Zanard’s business partner in the Jennifer Lindstrom case in Westport.

    Dr. Richard Gardner — yes, THAT Dr. Richard Gardner — was apparently Ms. Kloth-Zanard’s “therapist”.

      • It’s all about me.” Just put the alphabet behind my name and you will be safe” it started when I began dating my husband ” stasticly inaccurate information. Joanie brings a law suite against anyone who doesn’t do what she wants. Time for her and Heather to face legal action. Peter step up. You are aware of the curruption. You have contributed to the legal discrimination of woman. Twice in the system. You are aware of the funding. Your second x wife running on the green ticket. All on the fatherhood initiative federal welfare reform ticket. Acting like you have no idea about fatherhood initiative funding. You are not ignorant to the family court system. Please explain yourself! Running around legislators promoting the parental alienation narrative. I dare you to explain yourself!

        • Peter you have appointed your self the watch dog of the Connecticut family court. Running after Robbin Porter a domestic violence victim for fatherhood funding. The legal discrimination of woman in family court. Are you for curruption or ruling the courts with parental alienation? We would like a formal statement.

  • Connecticut “family courts” would force Knox to live with the librarian — ordering a restraining order against the mother.

    • “Family courts” protect children the same way public schools protect children.

      • They are absolutely exploiting the minority community for funding. United we stand in the salad bowl of the nation. A violation of one person’s rights is a violation to us all. We must united as people not ad profit for the privileged.

      • The people of the world’s three major religions obey God before government.

        That’s one reason those who don’t obey God try to pit Jews, Muslims and Christians against each other.

        Watch what happens when Paul Boyne’s case is in the news — if it ever gets there. The focus will be off of the crimes, corruption destruction of families and purposeful division for profit in the “family courts”. Don’t fall for the distractions. As many as possible must work together as much as possible to save our children and ourselves from those absolute monsters who control those “family courts”.

  • This makes my blood boil. It’s not just CT it’s as American as apple pie – it’s an issue of legalized child abuse – because people do not want to get involved in divorce – they think it’s a, “he said – she said” situation- which it is not! It’s criminal to force families through this system – in particular the children. These attorneys are absolute losers who have no idea how horrifically it’s effecting our children! We need criminal charges against these animals! Thank you so much for your continued support as we try to change the system for our innocent children.

  • About forty years ago, those pulling the strings at the top somewhere decided it’s not politically correct to joke about bad lawyers, anymore. Have you noticed?

    We’re to believe only the uneducated “cling to religion”. We’re to praise the judges who reward the fathers who go online to find young boys for sexual pleasure. For the past forty years, Connecticut family courts have punished good mothers who protect children from sexual abuse. Those without cases in “family courts” can see the same kind of cultural push in public schools.

    The slide into hell started in “family courts” with the introduction of “AFCC, Inc.” — a public-private for profit lucrative political network for those who run it. It crushes all that is good because that’s what it was designed to do.

    Perfect for the worst of the worst kind of people who want to control everyone and everything.

  • Thoughts and prayers for Karen and her children today. We have been praying for a miracle family court system would be exposed and straighten out. It’s being exposed and waiting for the second miracle.

    • Mr. O’Neill gave her time to find an attorney so he can throw her in jail for protecting her children from abuse.

      • Peaceful protest. She doesn’t need an attorney she needs a collection of pro SE momma’s in the job. Call all DV advocates and legal brigade. We need to set legal president.

        • The public defender is usually chosen as the next available on a list — not the way Mr. O’Neill seemed to push Judge Nieves aside. Whatever the case may be in the world of that small courthouse, the next hearing might tell us what today’s hearing didn’t say about Connecticut’s private politics.

About the Author

Frank Parlato is an investigative journalist.

His work has been cited in hundreds of news outlets, like The New York Times, The Daily Mail, VICE News, CBS News, Fox News, New York Post, New York Daily News, Oxygen, Rolling Stone, People Magazine, The Sun, The Times of London, CBS Inside Edition, among many others in all five continents.

His work to expose and take down NXIVM is featured in books like “Captive” by Catherine Oxenberg, “Scarred” by Sarah Edmonson, “The Program” by Toni Natalie, and “NXIVM. La Secta Que Sedujo al Poder en México” by Juan Alberto Vasquez.

Parlato has been prominently featured on HBO’s docuseries “The Vow” and was the lead investigator and coordinating producer for Investigation Discovery’s “The Lost Women of NXIVM.” Parlato was also credited in the Starz docuseries "Seduced" for saving 'slave' women from being branded and escaping the sex-slave cult known as DOS.

Additionally, Parlato’s coverage of the group OneTaste, starting in 2018, helped spark an FBI investigation, which led to indictments of two of its leaders in 2023.

Parlato appeared on the Nancy Grace Show, Beyond the Headlines with Gretchen Carlson, Dr. Oz, American Greed, Dateline NBC, and NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, where Parlato conducted the first-ever interview with Keith Raniere after his arrest. This was ironic, as many credit Parlato as one of the primary architects of his arrest and the cratering of the cult he founded.

Parlato is a consulting producer and appears in TNT's The Heiress and the Sex Cult, which premiered on May 22, 2022. Most recently, he consulted and appeared on Tubi's "Branded and Brainwashed: Inside NXIVM," which aired January, 2023.

IMDb — Frank Parlato

Contact Frank with tips or for help.
Phone / Text: (305) 783-7083
Email: frankparlato@gmail.com

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