I didn’t find any justice at the Hennepin County Family Justice Center. What I encountered was a system that was put in place to strip me of my parental rights based purely on the economic power of one party over the other. The cruelest irony of the FJS is that Minnesota claims to be a “no-fault” state in matters of divorce and parenting, but then utilizes a legal system that is adversarial by nature- the attorneys are trained to find fault, place blame, and create a winner and a loser. My now ex-wife is a physician from a moderately wealthy family, and I was a newly -graduated graphic designer struggling to find meaningful employment during the economic downturn that began in 2008. Even now that I am gainfully employed with prospects for the future, she still earns five times what I do. The court ignored the massive disparity in our incomes and somehow assumed that because I could not afford an attorney, I did not want one, despite my pleas to the contrary. I was told that the $9 hourly I was making at Target was too much for help from legal aid, so I couldn’t go that route. Minnesota is supposed to have laws in place to protect people of modest means from those with vast economic power, but I saw no such protection- it was never addressed. The judge (called a ‘referee,’ in some perverse turn of phrase- referees are supposed to protect both parties) sat on high and observed as my ex-wife and her attorney humiliated and emasculated me on the record, berating me for my inability to find employment, and then for not earning a salary that met their expectations. When all that is required in a no-fault system is for one party to unilaterally declare the marriage over, what purpose is there for trying to destroy the other person? To that end, there were the accusations: I encountered a flood of complaints that sent me reeling, and appeared to be fabricated for the sole purpose of tainting the court’s opinion of me without asking for any proof, and ignoring any evidence to the contrary, or the shifts in my ex-wife’s narrative. Among them included threats of suicide (first alone then in front of our children), then threats of homicide, presumable because I owned several firearms that were secured in a locker. Substance abuse, physical abuse, instigating fights with strangers in public- all without so much as a 911 call as evidence. And when I underwent a battery of psychological and substance abuse testing that refuted her accusations, there was no acknowledgement of the facts, or questions as to why these accusations were made. A mediator we used told me that the judges would rather let an innocent person fall through the cracks than get it wrong, and she said it like it was okay. How is that justice? The closest I got to justice was the Social Early Neutral Evaluation (SENE) that my ex-wife demanded we take part in. We were interviewed together by the two-person team, and they asked her flat out if any abuse occurred. My ex-wife admitted that it did not with a simple “no.” The evaluators saw no reason that I should not have joint legal and physical custody, but the catch with the SENE is that it’s confidential and non-binding. All she had to do was refuse to respond to the recommendations and she would not be held to them, and she would not be held to account for falsely accusing me of abuse. When it came time to determine custody and child support, the court naturally came down on her side. I was granted every other weekend (or “nothing” for the purposes of child support), and ordered to pay what is currently around 36% of my salary to her, despite my pleas for more time, despite the fact that she earns many times what I do (and has since remarried to a psychiatrist), and despite the fact that $900 per month would go a long way towards me being able to build a life for my children on my own terms. Soon after the child support payments started, she bought a brand new Mercedes. Justice. If you do not have the means to afford a $300/hour lawyer to work for you, you will like likely not find justice here either.

For all the men that have posted comments about this court system siding with mothers is completely insane. This court system has failed my daughter by giving full legal and physical custody to my ex husband who is not biologically her father but only through marriage. He was by my side when my daughter was younger so I decided to list him as her father on her birth certificate. BIG MISTAKE! He went behind my back while we were going through our separation and put an order for protection on me and he made sure to list my daughter on the protection order so I wasn’t able to leave with her. Then he filed for divorce first and didn’t bother to tell me the court date knowing dam well he knew where I worked and he could find me to serve me with the court date. Imagine how you would feel if you were in my situation. Having a man get away with stealing your child and there’s nothing you can do about it. The court systems fails children all of the time. Ohh and my ex husband is now in the end of his second marriage since we split up. He’s an abusive manipulative narcissist who’s so unstable he shouldn’t be able to have a child in his custody. I’m still fighting for my daughter and I won’t give up. The court system doesn’t always side with mother’s believe me.

The entire Hennepin County courts system is a Failure!!! The family courts specifically is a huge dissapointing experience... Unless you receive section 8 housing, foods stamps and collect the check, you will be paying filing fees for every petitioner/ motion brought forth to the courts. $299-$349 for single motions pertaining to child support. Even filing responses is additional costs in the hundreds of dollars range. The self help desk is useless because all the clerks state is "I can't give you legal advice..." Um, I'm not asking for advice from a paper pusher... I wanted information on what documents I need to fill out for specific matters I want to bring forth to the courts... I just hired an attorney to handle it for me... The filing fees are costly and the clerks may not even direct you in filing the correct motions anyway... It's a mess@ the self help desk and I'm surprised if anyone can honestly file anything successfully when they aren't on the welfare system... Seeing as if you do collect the check the county automatically files and petitions all the necessary documents and waives the required fees. Hire people who are knowledgable and actually want to help direct individuals to what they need in order to file successfully.

Terrible system and no help whatsoever. Issue: Change parenting time schedule. Child is going to school. Father and mother makes verbally agreement that the child stays with the mom M-F. Father will have child every other weekend. Father goes back on his words and revolts back to the old schedule causing issue and being petty over small things to get back at mom. Filed a motion to change parenting time. Had a hearing. Judge denied the mother's request and motion. First must go through mediation to reach agreement. Never heard back from mediation after submitting an application to request one. So annoying to go through so much with no clear direction.

I went this morning to obtain a copy of my court order and also to finish up paperwork with the child support office. I was anticipating a long morning waiting but I was extremely surprised. We walked in right after 8am and waited 15-20 minutes for my turn. After I received my copies, I went to the child support office down the hall and spent a total of 10 minutes in there. I completed everything within an hour. I'm very pleased with how easy and quick it was. The personnel were also very nice and helpful.

The first time i won my doughter. The second time i lost my doughter. This system. Dont work for fathers. I have to go again to day because the mother wont work with me at all i dont get to see her. And my kid blames me and says everything is my fault. I know for a fact its the mom and grand mother putting this in to my kid. I hope i can change somthing here. And the mom wont pay the medical bill they keeep coming to me like i still have custody i hate this and this mother of a state. Dads nee help here

If you're a male and are ever required to be at the Hennepin Family Court, don't expect to ever be treated fairly. Gender bias plays a big role in every decision, whether it's a Judge, Magistrate, Child Support Officer and even the County Mediation Staff. The time you spend here will be a waste of time as you are always viewed as a perpetrator and the female is always viewed as a victim. If you're getting divorced, move to another county and file before she does.

I would leave no stars if I could. I couldn't afford a lawyer and the court only let the hearing proceed through written responses for a child custody hearing! Writing isn't my strong suit so I looked ridiculous and they couldn't even have a virtual hearing or conference call. It was the most lazy excuse for a hearing. My ex took advantage of the system and financial power over me. I just can't believe I have to deal with such a awful court system.

A very unfair place to seek justice for Fathers. I work with children for a living, am a veteran with perfect work history and no criminal background. This court does not enforce parenting time for fathers. The state always sides with the children's mother and promotes PARENTAL ALIENATION. Their is NO EQUAL justice under the law. I guess this means they practice discrimination! Shame!!!!!

I used the legal services provided by HCFS to review my divorce paperwork before filing. The lawyer I worked with was very thorough. She gets 5 stars. She took her time to review all of my pages to ensure no information was missing or incorrect.

Family courts allows abusers access to children and when I gave a judge evidence of neglect she said, and I quote "what do you want me to do about it?"...These type of judges shouldn't be allowed to make decisions that impact others.

Mixed feelings about this place; however, I didn't experience one of the greatest victories of my life in this building. Establishing legal rights and parenting time for my son!

Goes for every family court in America, but their feminist bias was a death sentence to a 6 year old boy. Can’t give 0 stars, unfortunately.

Family Justice is a misnomer. This institution should be completely defunded if not overhauled from the ground up.

Found myself here arguing things I don't want to argue. Things no two adults should ever have to argue.

The Girl's running the 'Hennepin County Family Justice Center' have their stuff together! What a ride!

Very very clean helpful staff answer any questions

Devils …

Great staff and very helpful.

Very fast no wait