Kid sues dad in Canadian court for grounding her
posted at 4:01 pm on June 18, 2008 by Allahpundit
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And wins, natch. Look at it this way: If they’re not going to recognize free speech rights, why would they recognize parental rights? Via JWF:
A Canadian court has lifted a 12-year-old girl’s grounding, overturning her father’s punishment for disobeying his orders to stay off the Internet, his lawyer said Wednesday.
The girl had taken her father to Quebec Superior Court after he refused to allow her to go on a school trip for chatting on websites he tried to block, and then posting “inappropriate” pictures of herself online using a friend’s computer.
The father’s lawyer Kim Beaudoin said the disciplinary measures were for the girl’s “own protection” and is appealing the ruling…
According to court documents, the girl’s Internet transgression was just the latest in a string of broken house rules. Even so, Justice Suzanne Tessier found her punishment too severe.
Beaudoin noted the girl used a court-appointed lawyer in her parents’ 10-year custody dispute to launch her landmark case against dear old dad.
There has to be more to this than what’s here. The fact that the decision was made in the context of a custody dispute makes me think maybe the girl’s mother disagreed with the father about the punishment and consented to let the girl ask the judge to decide between them. A cursory googling reveals precious little information, though, aside from this report from Canwest, in which the father’s lawyer is quoted as lamenting the fact that this wasn’t settled the way parent/child disputes are supposed to be settled — in “youth court.”
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10 year custody suit? Well, why ever resolve it. Only 6 more years of disputin’ and, whammo, it’s a moot point!
Those canucks sure are a litigous bunch.
Oh yeah. Blame Canada!
VolMagic on June 18, 2008 at 4:06 PM
This item was featured on the radio this morning and callers and the host were speculating on how the kid would have come up with the idea, and how the kid would have actually arrived in court-who escorted her, etc…it sounds like this idea was planted in her head by a teacher. And yes-there isn’t any information about the parent’s marital status, so it is possible that a disgruntled ex is fueling this. It’s a real disgrace and I imagine there will be more coverage in the next few days.
WriterMom on June 18, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Dear Daughter,
You are on your own.
Love,
Dad
Limerick on June 18, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Canada: America’s hat.
Akzed on June 18, 2008 at 4:07 PM
My dad said I was a no good good for nothing sack of shit. I’m offended and my human rights have been violated.
danking70 on June 18, 2008 at 4:07 PM
My sentiments exactly. If she’s such a “big girl” now, let her fend for herself. Oh wait, she’s in Canada. Cradle -> grave support. Nevermind.
loganthompson on June 18, 2008 at 4:09 PM
“I started an appeal of the decision today to reestablish parental authority, and to ensure that this case doesn’t set a precedent,” she said. Otherwise, said Beaudoin, “parents are going to be walking on egg shells from now on.”
Has the whole freakin’ world gone insane? How did she get this to court in the first palce if she was grounded?
Mrs.737 says to Baby737
Tony737 on June 18, 2008 at 4:11 PM
Yeah. I went through the same thing that millions of dads go through…….took my daughter aside and told her NOT to marry that SOB.
“Why?”, she asked
“I just can tell”, I said
She went ahead and married him. Two kids in three years and he was gone. That was twelve years ago and not a single dime in CS and not a single birthday card.
“You were right dad”, she said
I NEVER wanted to be so wrong in my life.
Limerick on June 18, 2008 at 4:13 PM
Genetic Inheritor to Genetic Supplier #2: Daddy, can I use da puter?
Genetic Supplier #2: Child, please go ask your government.
ninjapirate on June 18, 2008 at 4:15 PM
Whew!
I’m glad my 20 yr old didn’t think of this when she was younger…I would’ve been sued plenty of times! Grounding my daughter from the computer was THE best punishment I had…she hated it!
btw..I also restricted her online time to 1 hour a day until she was a junior in high school. She didn’t like that either!
hahaha
becki51758 on June 18, 2008 at 4:19 PM
The girl got a court appointed lawyer. I wonder who paid for the father’s lawyer? A real win-win for the father. Not only is his parental authority in tatters but he had to shell out money for this travesty of justice. I would definitely ground her for taking this family dispute to court…oh wait, never mind.
Shtetl G on June 18, 2008 at 4:23 PM
Parenting. What a novel approach.
hillbillyjim on June 18, 2008 at 4:26 PM
And this is exactly the kind of warped, wacked-out, political-correctness-run-amok looney-toon example of Justice Gone Wild that B.O. and his master, Darth Soros, wants us to embrace with opened arms.
pilamaye on June 18, 2008 at 4:27 PM
I wonder if he has to get a warrant to get her to eat her brussel sprouts???
hillbillyjim on June 18, 2008 at 4:28 PM
No way this case is clear cut. And parental rights are great and all, but must’nt we be wary of abuse too? Is she a ten year veteran pawn in a destructive custody case?
If so I’d say as a minor that’s a clear violation of her liberty and well-being.
Dr. Manhattan on June 18, 2008 at 4:28 PM
Good-bye and good luck, dear daughter. I wish you all the best, and hope you find happiness.
JustTruth101 on June 18, 2008 at 4:30 PM
Or is she a wily kid who has learned how to play one side against the other?
Probably both.
hillbillyjim on June 18, 2008 at 4:32 PM
Great. If my 5yo hears about this, she’ll be suing me for mental stress and violating her rights to free speech and property. And that’s just for today! Hope the poor guy wins on appeal - I’ve said it before, nobody should be afraid to parent their own children.
Anna on June 18, 2008 at 4:38 PM
God forbid there’s big brother but why do so many people accept a big daddy instead?
Defector01 on June 18, 2008 at 4:43 PM
Anna, I am representing your daughter in her upcoming lawsuit against you. She is alleging 3 counts of “You’re mean!” and in the alternative, “You’re a mean mommy!!”.
Blake on June 18, 2008 at 4:51 PM
The sequel: Father throws ungrateful, disrespectful little b!tch out of the house while wishing her luck living with her mother.
TheBigOldDog on June 18, 2008 at 4:58 PM
True dat! My 4 year old daughter rails against my horrible parenting “YOU NEVER LET ME DO WHAT I WANT TO DO!!” when I ask her to get dressed for school, come inside for lunch, stop jumping on the couch, go potty, don’t touch the stove, finish your dinner, time for bed, etc, etc. I am such a mean dad. At least at the end of the day I get a big hug and an “I love you” when I tuck her in. So it all works out. :)
Spectreman on June 18, 2008 at 4:58 PM
Custody dispute? Judge Kim Beaudoin? In Quebec? Quebec is so liberal that the rest of liberal Canada call them liberal! No surprise here!
Kim was just showing solidarity with her sister and sticking to the evil father/man.
RMR on June 18, 2008 at 5:03 PM
It reads like an article from The Onion.
Hoodlumman on June 18, 2008 at 5:03 PM
Youth Court! My parent/child issues are resolved by my taking off my belt and folding it in two! My, my, how the children get in line when daddy is swinging that belt. I don’t really spank them that often. They just know that I will.
Kafir on June 18, 2008 at 5:06 PM
Notre chapeau fou!
Entelechy on June 18, 2008 at 5:08 PM
Line that works in our house
“Wanna step outside and take a shot at the title?”
They know that it is time to back off from mean old mom then lol.
ArmyAunt on June 18, 2008 at 5:21 PM
Here is how this is solved. Find the judges office, and sit this daughter at her office and tell the judge, since you seem to know best, here is your new daughter, let me know when I can have her back, and walk away. Enough parents do that, and then maybe the judge will have enough sense that she can’t parent all the kids in the country, and maybe the kids will also recognize that that her dad isn’t all that bad after all.
Conservative Voice on June 18, 2008 at 5:32 PM
Hmmm… my question is under what legal authority did this judge make this ruling? There has to be some law involved somewhere.
Only thing I can think of its a One Divorced Parent says one thing… other parent says another… and its a question then of which Parent has the authority to make that decision… and I bet they “share” custody.
Which is why with my X, its stipulated in the Divorce decree that whoever the kid is living with has final say, which in my case, is ME…
Romeo13 on June 18, 2008 at 5:40 PM
Just let her pay for her own damned internet.
And her own food and housing too.
drjohn on June 18, 2008 at 5:50 PM
You forgot the “I want new parents.” Twice a day on average.
Yeah, at the end of the day, she usually takes it all back with an ‘I’m sorry, Mommy’ and a big hug. But with her mouth and her younger brother being lodged up my rear-end today, I’m still waiting for McCain to take my children. Maybe they’ll sue me for that too.
Anna on June 18, 2008 at 5:54 PM
Meh. I’m a teacher–I get threatened with lawsuits every day. Even during Summer break.
robblefarian on June 18, 2008 at 5:56 PM
Let’s see, I grounded my kids today from the computer, XBox, TV, and their friends. Should I be looking for a lawyer?
StephC on June 18, 2008 at 5:58 PM
This has to be more complicated than it sounds.
In any case, if my kid did this to me, it would be boarding school.
Wouldn’t forget that lesson, would you, you little sh*t?
SouthernDem on June 18, 2008 at 6:27 PM
I know, right? My kids holed up in his room (barren, except books) right now, grounded for two days. I’m so going to jail.
SouthernDem on June 18, 2008 at 6:29 PM
The best solution? Refuse to abide by the court’s decision (I know I wouldn’t). If the child succeeds in reporting the ignoring of the court’s ruling, then the father is what…removed from the household and jailed (for contempt?) or fined? I’d refuse to pay the fine too. Then, I’d counter-sue the state for $400 million dollars.
Geministorm on June 18, 2008 at 6:35 PM
“You’re grounded, young lady!”
“Dad, don’t make me get a lawyer.”
“Okay, okay. I was just kidding.”
“And I’m having a threeway tonight with some kids from school.”
“Sure, Honey. Whatever you say.
whitetop on June 18, 2008 at 6:44 PM
LOVE IT!
That is going into my repetoire (sp?).
I have two girls though, so the title isn’t likely in jeopardy, and they are way too scared at this point to get into it with Dad. Yes, I’m the most evil being on the planet to them…
Alternatives:
- No cell phone. It doesn’t get paid for, it gets shut off, end of story (surely the judge can’t force you to pay for the phone service). If “Mom” pays for it, steal it when she’s asleep and throw it in a drainage ditch. Personally, my kids aren’t allowed to own a cell phone (period) until they leave my house.
- Block all internet traffic from their system. Luckily, I’m network savvy, so my solution is that I turn off all internet access from my server when the young’ins act up. Its easy to claim ignorance when the “internet isn’t working”, just blame it on the ISP.
- I don’t drive them anywhere. The girl is 12, right? Get on that bicycle? I don’t think so, bicycle got stolen…”I’ll have to go around to the pawn shops and see if someone sold it, Honey.”
Grounded and they don’t even know it…
Geministorm on June 18, 2008 at 6:46 PM
*vomit*
ApartforHaShem on June 18, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Well, she did want to amend the complaint to add a count of “That’s not fair!”
Blake on June 18, 2008 at 7:09 PM
Makes you wonder what would have happened if he made her cut her own switch.
Send_Me on June 18, 2008 at 7:46 PM
I swear one of these days I’m going to record one of her ‘buuuuut Mahhhhmmmmmie’ whines and use it on my cell phone as a ringtone. She’s asleep now, though, and beautiful and awesome as ever. I love her, but man, I can’t wait for school to start this Fall.
I told my husband about this case. His words: Frak that. My kid, my rules. Looks like you might have two cases on your hands now.
Anna on June 18, 2008 at 8:58 PM
Dear daughter
You are on your own.
Limerick on June 18,2008 at 4:06PM.
Limerick: I agree with you,being in Canada,this is
nuts,I’m thankful my daughter so far,at 17,
has been trouble-free!
canopfor on June 18, 2008 at 8:59 PM
You, me and a heck of a lot of smart parents who aren’t afraid of their kids.
StephC on June 18, 2008 at 9:09 PM
1) I’m sure it’s more complicated than it sounds.
2) I’m having a hard time understanding how complicated it would have to be to make any damned kind of sense at all.
Merovign on June 18, 2008 at 9:20 PM
Future pregnant drug addict.
Just sayin’.
Kevin M on June 18, 2008 at 9:56 PM
Being a techy, I would take a different approach…
I would just lock down router access to only the computers I owned and change passwords on all accounts (including hers).
I wouldn’t call it a grounding, just locking down access for security reasons.
If she was allowed to use the computer, I’d log her on.
If she wasn’t happy with that arrangement, she can pay for her own internet connection, router and computer.
And if she pulled any crap after she was on, I’d just connect up to the router through a different computer, and shut down her access.
Sometimes its nice to know more about computers than your kids!
dominigan on June 19, 2008 at 9:09 AM