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 ZookYour Honor, Not My Son's Keeper: 11:44: CADC CHt, Kathryn Zook: 9798902233732: Amazon.com: BooksTRIGGER 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: [email protected]: https://www.instagram.com/hope_in_the_pain/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hope.in.the.painYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HopeinthepainWebsite: voicesagainstfilicide.odoo.com Support & Subscribe:If you found this episode meaningful, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this podcast to amplify the stories of those who can no longer speak for themselves.Voices Against Filicide Merch Shop:https://momcast-productions.myspreadshop.com/The Rowan Project:https://therowanproject.org/Production Credits:Written, Researched, and Hosted by: Hope HootonProduced & Edited by: Rachel HollowayA Momcast ProductionVoices Against Filicide is a part of Momcast Production LLC. All content, including but not limited to audio, written materials, and visual assets, are protected under copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of this content is strictly prohibited. © 2024 Momcast Production LLC. All rights reserved.