500 signatures reached
To: Governor Wes Moore, Maryland Attorney Greivance Committee, Angela Alsobrooks, Chris Van Hollen, Maryland AOG Anthony Brown, Maryland Commission On Judicial Disabilities
Protect Our Children: Investigate GAL In The Hurtt Custody Case
Title:
Petition to Investigate the Guardian ad Litem Assigned to the Hurtt Custody Case for Misconduct and Negligence
To:
Governor Wes Moore, Maryland Attorney Grievance Committee, Angela Alsobrooks, Chris Van Hollen, Maryland AOG Anthony Brown, Maryland Commission On Judicial Disabilities
We, the undersigned, respectfully call upon the Maryland Attorney General and the Maryland Attorney Grievance Commission to open a formal investigation into the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) assigned to the custody case involving Jerron Hurtt Sr. and his sons, for alleged misconduct, negligence, and bias. We also urge a comprehensive review of this GAL’s other cases to determine whether similar patterns of behavior have harmed additional families and children.
Background:
A Guardian ad Litem’s duty is to advocate for the best interests of the children they represent in court. This includes remaining impartial, conducting thorough investigations, and ensuring children’s voices and needs are accurately presented. However, in this case, the GAL’s actions appear to have caused significant harm to the children and failed to meet the ethical and professional standards required for such a critical role.
This is the third time this petition has been created.
Each prior petition was removed after being reported multiple times. Because of this, I have chosen to remove the GAL’s name and refer to her only by title. This cause is not about targeting an individual—it’s about accountability, protecting children, and demanding integrity in the family court system.
Key Concerns:
1. Suppression of Evidence:
The GAL withheld crucial medical, educational, and police records relevant to the boys’ health and safety, preventing the court from having a full understanding of their well-being.
2. Downplaying of Serious Health Conditions:
Both boys suffer from hydronephrosis, a kidney condition requiring ongoing care. Despite documented hospitalizations and medical concerns, the GAL minimized their condition in court.
3. Failure to Address Abuse Allegations:
Reports from school staff described the boys arriving at school hungry, withdrawn, and unkempt while in their mother’s custody. These signs of possible abuse and neglect were downplayed or ignored by the GAL.
4. Dismissal of CPS Reports:
Multiple reports to Child Protective Services regarding unsafe living conditions appear to have been disregarded without proper investigation, raising concerns about potential interference or neglect of duty.
5. Demonstrated Bias:
The GAL has shown a consistent pattern of favoring the opposing party, even when credible evidence pointed to ongoing harm to the children. This undermines the principle of impartiality that GALs are sworn to uphold.
6. Unfounded Accusations of Exploitation:
The GAL accused Mr. Hurtt of exploiting his sons due to their social media presence, despite the fact that funds raised were used to enroll the boys in a private school and move them to a safer environment. These efforts to improve their lives were wrongly characterized and ultimately reversed through biased legal actions.
7. Targeting of Advocacy Funds:
The GAL is seeking a judgment against Mr. Hurtt to seize funds raised through The Hurtt Fathers Advocate nonprofit—funds that were never for personal gain, but intended to help other struggling fathers and children in crisis.
8. Retaliation and Infringement on Free Speech:
After Mr. Hurtt filed a formal complaint regarding the GAL’s conduct, retaliatory actions appeared to follow. Efforts to suppress his advocacy violate his constitutional right to free speech and set a dangerous precedent for parents speaking out against systemic failures.
Request for Action:
We respectfully ask the Maryland Attorney General and Attorney Grievance Commission to:
• Conduct a formal investigation into the GAL’s conduct in this case.
• Review her caseload to identify broader patterns of misconduct or negligence.
• Hold the GAL accountable if her actions are found to have compromised the safety or well-being of children.
Maryland’s legal system must hold its officers to the highest standards especially when the lives and futures of children are at stake.
It’s been 290 days since I’ve seen my sons. No hugs, no bedtime stories, no “I love you, Daddy.” And the GAL assigned to our case believes that’s in their best interest.
It’s been 290 days since I’ve seen my sons. No hugs, no bedtime stories, no “I love you, Daddy.” And the GAL assigned to our case believes that’s in their best interest.
As a father, all I’ve ever wanted is to protect and love my children. But instead of being heard, I’ve been silenced. Instead of being supported, I’ve been pushed aside.
This isn’t just about me. It’s about every parent who’s doing their best and every child who deserves the love and presence of both parents. 290 days of separation isn’t justice it’s trauma.
This must be investigated. Not just for my family, but for every family that deserves fairness, truth, and love.
Why is this important?
Because no parent should have to watch their children suffer while the very person appointed to protect them turns a blind eye or worse, becomes part of the harm. Being a parent means doing everything in your power to keep your children safe, to love them unconditionally, and to fight for their well-being no matter the cost. But when someone who is trusted by the courts, someone who is supposed to advocate for the best interest of our children, fails them, it’s more than a personal injustice. It’s a failure of the entire system.
This isn’t just about one family. It’s about making sure no other child goes unheard. It’s about making sure no parent has to sit helplessly as their voice and their child’s pain is ignored. The hurtt we’ve experienced should never be repeated. That’s why this matters.