WFXG FOX54 Augusta - Your News One Hour Earlier

WFXG FOX54 Augusta - Your News One Hour Earlier

What is a guardian ad litem?

Posted: May 22, 2014 11:04 PM EDTUpdated: May 22, 2014 11:14 PM EDT

 Nick Lulli Reporting from Fox 54

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AUGUSTA, GA (WFXG) -

Atlanta-based My Advocate Center's Deb Beacham said it's a seemingly simple assignment that often times becomes skewed.

"Many of these cases, frankly, the children wound up with the parent most likely to cause stress or injury to the child," said Beacham.

Beacham said that's not to say all guardian ad litems are bad.

"They're research analysts. They get to look at the daily lives of the children, how the children function when they're with one parent compared to the other."

She said attorneys can request one for their clients, and often times, the judge can appoint one at their discretion.

But Beacham said there isn't a lot of requirements or training involved.

Guardians don't have to be an attorney, or have a psychology background.

"There's no consistency of the training, or credentials, for a guardian ad litem from county to county, so we're looking at that. There's no objective standard on how each parent is evaluated, to counter-balance the subjective reports presented to the courts."

Atlanta lawyer Lisa West released this statement about guardian ad litems:

"Unfortunately, such instances of tainted investigations by guardians ad litem are not uncommon.  And, the effects of these investigations can be absolutely devastating - - from children of sexual abuse being placed squarely into the hands of their abusers to children being ripped from the arms of their primary caretaker forever.  There is no doubt that the guardian ad litem system must undergo a complete overhaul."

For more resources, head over to the My Advocate Center website.

SPECIAL REPORT: Radio reporter says judge scared him off from covering allegations against Doug Nelson

Posted: May 21, 2014 10:31 PM EDTUpdated: May 21, 2014 10:31 PM EDT

Nick Lulli  reporting from Fox 54

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AUGUSTA, GA (WFXG) -

He's not only a reporter, but also, a father. Having gone through a tough custody case of his own, Scott Hudson understands how hard the fight can be.

It was his own experience that led Hudson to dig into the guardian ad litem system…and what he said he found was troubling.
 
It's the same evidence WFXG was eventually given by multiple sources: reports of inappropriate behavior by former guardian and magistrate judge Doug Nelson.

He says his own investigative work led him to a meeting of guardian ad litems, where he said he listened in via a source's phone.
 
Hudson said when Judge David Roper found out he had listened in, word passed through the legal community that Roper was preparing a warrant for his arrest because of the eavesdropping. Hudson said he found out from a relative of his. Roper denies threatening anyone with arrest, but does say he suggested the recording of the meeting may be in violation of state or federal law.

Hudson said this threat of imprisonment forced him to drop the story.

Earlier this month, Hudson detailed his allegations against Roper in a report to Columbia County Sheriff's investigators.

Investigators said there is an open and active investigation, but they're unclear on which jurisdiction the investigation should fall under.

But Hudson said it's not only the police who know about Roper's actions.
 
In emails WFXG obtained, an associate of Hudson's emailed superior court judge Daniel Craig his concerns. The subject line promised the email would remain between them "100%"

In the email, Craig acknowledges Roper threatened Hudson with arrest.
 
When we asked Craig about the email, he said the only thing he could conclude was that "100% wasn't 100%"

You may remember my meeting with Judge Roper earlier this month.

Since that meeting, the police report with Columbia County had been filed - but when we sent a copy of the report to Roper requesting comment, he had no response. We're also awaiting comment on Judge Craig's email about Hudson's claims.

Hudson said he hopes he can finally move forward from this ordeal that he says has hurt his family and career.

Copyright 2014 WFXG. All rights reserved.

WFXG continuing to investigate allegations against Doug Nelson

Posted: May 21, 2014 12:12 AM EDTUpdated: May 21, 2014 12:12 AM EDTNick Lulli - Reporting from Fox 54

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AUGUSTA, GA (WFXG) -

We've been following the story for months: mothers who said Doug Nelson sexually harassed them, and a father who said Nelson sent inappropriate messages to a witness in his case.

First a military veteran who said Nelson touched her inappropriately after a meeting about her case in 2011.

"And then he puts his hand on my back, starts rubbing my back, all the way down to my bottom. As in, my rear."

Then, another mother who showed us text messages she said Nelson sent her during her case in 2012.

"He came right out and asked what was your sex life like. And I was thinking okay, we have a problem."

Another mom accused Nelson of hugging her too closely.

"I couldn't believe it. I'm not easily offended. I've worked around a lot of men, single-handedly, being in the military, working around sexual harassment. I knew clearly what it was."

And - a father fighting in a custody case showed us text messages he said Nelson sent to his son's teacher, a witness in the case.

"He pretty much did what he wanted to do with no regard for me or my family."

The day after our initial story ran, Nelson resigned his position as a Columbia County associate magistrate judge.

Prior to our story airing, Nelson had maintained the allegations as false.

He has since stopped returning our calls and text messages.

Copyright 2014 WFXG. All rights reserved.

Advocacy group protests imprisonment of local father

Posted: May 09, 2014 1:35 AM EDTUpdated: May 09, 2014 1:39 AM EDT

Reporting Nick Lulli 

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EVANS, GA (WFXG) -

A local advocacy group, Stop Parental Bullying, in association my Atlanta-based My Advocate Center, is protesting the imprisonment of a local father.

Robbie Roberson was jailed after unknowingly violating a court order which prohibited him from seeing his daughter. Roberson is involved in a contentious custody dispute.

"Under the advice of his attorney, he thought he could go have lunch with his daughter," said Ron Burton, from Stop Parental Bullying. "He went to the elementary school, and had lunch with his daughter. And he didn't try to attempt to snatch her and run off with her, he just went and had lunch with his daughter."

Advocates said Roberson is seeking legal counsel outside the area to assist in dismissing the charges.

Copyright 2014 WFXG. All rights reserved.

Demonstrators hold candlelight vigil outside Columbia Co. jail

Posted: Apr 05, 2014 3:56 PM EDTUpdated: Apr 05, 2014 3:59 PM EDT

Reporting Nick Lulli

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APPLING, GA (WFXG) -

A handful of peaceful demonstrators held a candlelight vigil outside the Columbia County jail Friday evening.

The demonstrators were protesting the imprisonment of Willis "Robbie" Roberson, a Columbia County father involved in a custody dispute among the family court system.

According to Atlanta-based My Advocate Center, Roberson is one of many parents across the state dealing with a custody dispute that often leads to inappropriate legal repercussions for one party of the dispute.

Demonstrators said they hope reform comes to the family court system.

Copyright 2014 WFXG. All rights reserved.