Grounded 12-Year-Old Sues Parents, Get’s Punishment Overturned!
A 12-year-old girl spends too much time online, posts inappropriate pictures of herself, gets grounded, and then takes her dad to court… and wins!!
The father’s attorney says what every parent ought to know as common sense:
“She’s a child,” Beaudoin told AFP. “At her age, children test their limits and it’s up to their parent to set boundaries. I started an appeal of the decision today to reestablish parental authority, and to ensure that this case doesn’t set a precedent.”
But Justice Suzanne Tessier might be off her rocker:
According to court documents, the girl’s Internet usage was the latest in a rash of disciplinary problems. But Justice Suzanne Tessier, who was presiding over the case, found the punishment too severe.
That’s right… Grounding your child for a rash of disciplinary problems, including excessive computer use and posting inappropriate pictures online is considered too severe.
Posted: June 20th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 7
Comments
Comment from brettdl
Time: June 24, 2008, 9:26 am
Why are judges even allowed to be involved in non-criminal family affairs?
Comment from Mark Sicignano
Time: June 24, 2008, 5:52 pm
Aren’t divorces non-criminal family affairs? I had to have a judge involved in mine because we couldn’t come to a reasonable agreement without one.
But a kid getting a judge to hear her case about being grounded by her parents? I don’t know, unless there is more to the story than is being told.
Comment from Deb Roberts
Time: June 27, 2008, 7:56 pm
Good thing my kids don’t know this! I’d probably be in jail for setting limits and making them clean the house while I sit around watching Oprah and eating Bon-Bons - LOL! Unfortunately people who don’t hold their children accountable for their actions set kids up for a lifetime of failure. There are consequences for every decision, good or bad. The judge is sending the wrong message. I wonder if it were her child or grandchild what she would do or not do. If I make my kids scrub the tub after using foul language is a federal offense?
Comment from Will
Time: June 27, 2008, 8:00 pm
This is a Canadian case and while it won’t have direct impact on rulings outside of Canada, it will get the hamster running on the treadmill in many a youth’s head. There is more to the story as there is an ongoing, 10-year custody battle. If you ask me (and I have four kids ages 6 mos, 6, 10, and 14) then this girl is using the legal system to get her way.
While I believe every citizen has rights set forth by their country’s constitution, I also believe many of those were intended during original drafting to extend to adults. Case in point, the US Constitution was interpreted as being applicable only to white men. Not kids. Not women. Not people of color. This is regardless Declaration of Independence states “all men are created equal” and it took 200 years for that to change.
Personally I think the kid needs to be grounded for a solid month and write a public apology to her father for being a brat. If my kids don’t want to live by my rules then they can be emancipated and get out of my house to fend for themselves. Is that what they want? No. How do I know? They tell me.
Lack of discipline here simply sets precedence that all laws are too harsh in someone’s eyes. Remember, rules were not written for one person or a select few - but the majority of people.
Comment from Dan
Time: June 28, 2008, 12:47 am
Ok theres too many people with too much time on there hands that i beieive dont have children, that are telling us parents how to raise our children. i think the girl should be punished for all of her actions and the judge should be releived of her duties
Comment from Harvey Norris
Time: June 28, 2008, 3:13 pm
Is this judge NUTS? All Judges have Chief Judges overseeing them. A formal complaint should be made to the chief judge of the citcuit. This Judge needs to get real.
Comment from Miss Suzy
Time: August 27, 2008, 11:59 am
Lord, help us! This is beyond insane, and I hope what happens in Canada stays in Canada.
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