We Focus 100% On Family Law
  1. Home
  2.  | 
  3. Child Custody
  4.  | A Few Words of Advice from a Minnesota Judge

A Few Words of Advice from a Minnesota Judge

On Behalf of | Jul 2, 2012 | Child Custody |

Judge Michael Haas of Cass County Minnesota retired in 2002 after 26 years of service as a Judge. The following 200 words issued by him (we are not certain whether they were stated on or off the record) have been referenced in multiple appellate court decisions and in Lawyer’s Weekly.

Judge Michael Haas of Cass County Minnesota retired in 2002 after 26 years of service as a Judge. The following 200 words issued by him (we are not certain whether they were stated on or off the record) have been referenced in multiple appellate court decisions and in Lawyer’s Weekly. Judge Haas put into very simple terms a concept that so many people fail to grasp, and that are crucial for parents to understand when they are going through a break-up.

“Your children have come into this world because of the two of you. Perhaps you two made lousy choices as to whom you decided to be the other parent. If so, that is YOUR problem and YOUR fault.
“No matter what you think of the other party — or what your family thinks of the other party — these children are one-half of each of you. Remember that, because every time you tell your child what an ‘idiot’ his father is, or what a ‘fool’ his mother is, or how bad the absent parent is, or what terrible things that person has done, you are telling the child half of HIM is bad.
“That is an unforgivable thing to do to a child. That is not love! That is possession. If you do that to your children, you will destroy them as surely as if you had cut them into pieces, because that is what you are doing to their emotions.
“I sincerely hope that you do not do that to your children. Think more about your children and less about yourselves, and make yours a selfless kind of love, not foolish or selfish, or your children will suffer.”

(c)2014 by Law Office of Leila J. Wons The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established. In accordance with rules established by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, this blog must be labeled “advertising.”