***Breaking News***DCF Shelter and GAL Custody Hearings Thread #3

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Mark Sievers May Lose Rights to 2 Daughters
NBC2 Link


Mark Sievers appeared in court at the Lee County Justice Center Friday in regards to the custody status of the couple's two daughters.
......
Friday was expected to be a regular hearing for the ongoing Department of Children and Families' case involving their care. Thus far, the girls been living with Teresa's mother.


We've been part of a number of the DCF hearings from the start, but during Friday's session, Judge Branning cleared the courtroom to hear from all sides of the case.
This is very rare for dependency court to be cleared. It only happens for adoptions or hearings for termination of parental rights.


Mark Sievers in Court To Seek Visitation Rights
Naples Daily News (with video)

"I want (Mark) to have as much access to his kids as possible," said Michael Mummert, Sievers' lawyer. "He has a very close relationship with his girls. It's very important that relationship remain intact."


Mummert said they are tabling the custody fight until Sievers' criminal trial is concluded and he can "physically resume his role as parent." He said Sievers hasn't seen his daughters for months and contact is restricted to phone calls.
 
Interesting. In the video, his lawyer seems very subdued. Wonder what is happening.
 
This is a great development in the case! JMO, but I think the GAL program played a big part in today's hearing. DCF is highly regarded in court matters but the GAL program carries more heavy weight in regards to the judge and their decisions. DCF was shut down earlier in the investigation by the first judge but it's getting serious now in regards to today's hearing. There should be no sad faces!
 
This is a great development in the case! JMO, but I think the GAL program played a big part in today's hearing. DCF is highly regarded in court matters but the GAL program carries more heavy weight in regards to the judge and their decisions. DCF was shut down earlier in the investigation by the first judge but it's getting serious now in regards to today's hearing. There should be no sad faces!


What is GAL and what is the difference between GAL and DCF? Thank you.
 
I think this is good news and well, I think we can be reasonably certain that Mark has not been playing by the rules that the judge set forth in the last hearing. And where does Mummert get off saying they are "tabling the custody fight until Sievers criminal trial is concluded. "? I don't think Mummert has any control over that, does he?

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Interesting. In the video, his lawyer seems very subdued. Wonder what is happening.

He's spinning it as best he can.

Trust me when I tell you he has a helluva client to deal with. I know everyone hates defense attorneys, but as a paralegal I can attest that a client like Mark Sievers is a NIGHTMARE. Not just because of his criminal actions, but I truly believe these attorneys are constantly blindsided by his actions that continue even while incarcerated.
 
What is GAL and what is the difference between GAL and DCF? Thank you.

GAL = Guardian ad litem An attorney appointed to represent the children. Only interest is what is in the best interest of the children. Period.

DCF - Department of Children & Family Services. A State entity who investigates neglect, abuse, etc... They make recommendations, submit reports, etc...
 
I think this is good news and well, I think we can be reasonably certain that Mark has not been playing by the rules that the judge set forth in the last hearing. And where does Mummert get off saying they are "tabling the custody fight until Sievers criminal trial is concluded. "? I don't think Mummert has any control over that, does he?

BBM

Well, if he thought it was legally feasible he could always appeal a ruling he didn't feel was fair and that he felt he might win on appeal.

And that's about all I need to say about that right now. lol ;)
 
He's spinning it as best he can.

Trust me when I tell you he has a helluva client to deal with. I know everyone hates defense attorneys, but as a paralegal I can attest that a client like Mark Sievers is a NIGHTMARE. Not just because of his criminal actions, but I truly believe these attorneys are constantly blindsided by his actions that continue even while incarcerated.

I have a former BIL like him. This guy would lose motion after motion, change of lawyer, file more motions and come back like he had new details so he could fight my sibling again and again. He spent tens of thousands of dollars that he didn't have. Made my sibling spend money they didn't have. At the end of the divorce he would up with the same deal that would have been in place but both of them were out about 45k. So crazy.
 
Got it. Thanks! 💖

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Mark Sievers' Mother-In-Law Granted Permanent Custody of Daughters


A Lee County judge named Mark Sievers’ mother-in-law the permanent guardian of his two daughters during a Friday hearing.

Lee Circuit Judge Robert Branning awarded Mary Ann Groves permanent custody of the two girls, [J], 12, and [C], 9, during a nearly 2-hour hearing. Groves lawyer, Christine O’Brien, confirmed the results when reached on the phone Friday afternoon.

Branning closed the proceedings to the public and the media because the guardian ad litem — an attorney appointed by the court to represent the girls’ interests — had sought to terminate Sievers’ parental rights. Sievers, 48, is accused of orchestrating the killing of his wife, Bonita Springs Dr. Teresa Sievers, in June 2015.

Mark Sievers will have only limited, supervised contact with his daughters over the phone. His mother also will have limited, supervised contact after concerns were raised that Mark Sievers was manipulating her and she wasn’t supportive of Groves.

Michael Mummert, Sievers’ lawyer, declined to discuss the proceedings after leaving the courtroom, but he said the girls are doing well and he is fighting for his client to see them more often. He said Sievers misses his daughters and hasn’t seen them in months.

......

If Sievers is found not guilty in his criminal trial, he would have to go to court to get back custody of his daughters, O’Brien confirmed.If Sievers is found not guilty in his criminal trial, he would have to go to court to get back custody of his daughters, O’Brien confirmed.
 
His worst nightmare come true.

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What can she do if she has permanent custody? Can she move? Can she make all decisions or does she have to work with the state still?
 
What can she do if she has permanent custody? Can she move? Can she make all decisions or does she have to work with the state still?

Yes, she can do anything any parent can do. I imagine she will still advise her attorney and the courts of any actions in advance of any life changing event but MARY ANN makes all the decisions now.

She NEVER has to hear the voice of the man who murdered her daughter again. An independent third party will monitor all communications between Mark and the girls, as well as Bonnie and the girls. It is my understanding that NO members of Mark's immediate family can have unsupervised contact with the girls.
 
Happy early Birthday, Teresa!

Your family, friends, LE, SA and GAL are making SURE your girls are safe and protected. That evil man you trusted can no longer poison the minds of your children and turn them against the family you know will raise them as you would have wanted.

Hope you are resting in peace a little easier today. :heartbeat:


We've only just begun. Justice for you, is next. Onward and upward!
 
Mark Sievers' Mother-In-Law Granted Permanent Custody of Daughters


A Lee County judge named Mark Sievers’ mother-in-law the permanent guardian of his two daughters during a Friday hearing.

Lee Circuit Judge Robert Branning awarded Mary Ann Groves permanent custody of the two girls, J, 12, and C, 9, during a nearly 2-hour hearing. Groves lawyer, Christine O’Brien, confirmed the results when reached on the phone Friday afternoon.

Branning closed the proceedings to the public and the media because the guardian ad litem — an attorney appointed by the court to represent the girls’ interests — had sought to terminate Sievers’ parental rights. Sievers, 48, is accused of orchestrating the killing of his wife, Bonita Springs Dr. Teresa Sievers, in June 2015.

Mark Sievers will have only limited, supervised contact with his daughters over the phone. His mother also will have limited, supervised contact after concerns were raised that Mark Sievers was manipulating her and she wasn’t supportive of Groves.

Michael Mummert, Sievers’ lawyer, declined to discuss the proceedings after leaving the courtroom, but he said the girls are doing well and he is fighting for his client to see them more often. He said Sievers misses his daughters and hasn’t seen them in months.

......

If Sievers is found not guilty in his criminal trial, he would have to go to court to get back custody of his daughters, O’Brien confirmed.If Sievers is found not guilty in his criminal trial, he would have to go to court to get back custody of his daughters, O’Brien confirmed.
Happy early birthday Dr. Sievers!

Tears of JOY.
MG has beat MS at his own game.
I bet he's raging mad right about now, serves him (w)right, if he had been a loving "father" he never would have set these events in motion.
You can't have your cake and eat it too, MS.
[emoji323] [emoji322] [emoji322] [emoji322] [emoji323]

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from this video link the most important part for me to hear was Mummert acknowledging

"The girls are doing great. They're happy in their school. Um, you know, they miss their dad, uh, but all things considered they're doing very well."

http://www.naplesnews.com/story/new...rt-seek-visitation-rights-daughters/94070180/

Yes, very telling. Mummert looked shaken. He actually sounded like the kids are doing well and felt good about it. I respect him for displaying that attitude. I truly believe he got blindsided today. Sorry Mummert, but that's the client you are stuck with now. You're certainly not the first one he has lied to, directly or by omission. I have a hunch that today you discovered what a truly despicable, evil human being you're now stuck representing.

Note that he doesn't even say that Mark was awarded supervised video and/or in person visits from the girls. Whatever evidence the GAL presented had to be horrific because it is next to impossible to lose basic parental rights and PERMANENT guardianship is awarded to another person.

God bless and heal those kids.
 

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