027: When Family Court Overlooks Risk: Kathryn Zook on Custody, Abuse, and Reform

In this episode, Hope Hooton speaks with Kathryn Zook, a mental health and substance abuse professional and mother who shares her experience navigating the California family court system after leaving an abusive marriage. Kathryn describes years of custody proceedings in which her documented concerns were reframed as “high conflict,” while her ex-husband allegedly used their son as a weapon and her reports of abuse went nowhere, complicated by conflicts of interest involving his remarriage to a criminal DA in the same courthouse. She recounts the financial strain of legal battles, her son’s trauma-related behavioral struggles, and the turning point when he refused to return to his father at age 11. Kathryn discusses her memoir, “Your Honor, Not My Son’s Keeper,” her faith, and her advocacy for reform, including trauma training mandates for judges and evaluators.

Get your copy here: Your Honor, Not My Son's Keeper by Kathryn Zook

Your Honor, Not My Son's Keeper: 11:44: CADC CHt, Kathryn Zook: 9798902233732: Amazon.com: Books

TRIGGER WARNING:

This podcast contains deeply disturbing content, including firsthand accounts from parents and family members who have lost children to familicide—the murder of a child by a parent or caregiver. The stories are raw, emotional, and include details of immense loss, system failures, and trauma. Listeners are advised to take care, and may pause or stop the podcast if needed.

Connect with Hope Hooton:

Email: hopeinthepain@gmail.com

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Website: voicesagainstfilicide.odoo.com

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