Alright, picture this.
You hire someone—let’s say a roofer—to fix your roof. They show up, walk around a bit, maybe hammer a few nails, then leave. No actual repairs. No real work done. Then, a few weeks later, you get a bill. And if you refuse to pay, you get dragged into court and threatened with jail time.
Sounds ridiculous, right?
Well, that’s exactly what happened to me—except instead of a roofer, it was a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) named Jennifer Robbins who was supposed to do a fair investigation in my custody case.
She didn’t do her job. I refused to pay. And when I took it to court, Magistrate John Pico basically told me:
“Well, you won, didn’t you?”
…Wait. What?
This is my story about how broken the family court system is, how GALs can get paid for doing nothing, and why parents deserve better.
What a Guardian ad Litem Is SUPPOSED to Do
A Guardian ad Litem (GAL) is a lawyer assigned by the court to investigate both parents and figure out what’s in the best interest of the child. They’re supposed to be neutral and do things like:
- Visit both parents’ homes to check out living conditions.
- Observe the child with each parent to see how they interact.
- Interview the child (if they’re old enough) to understand their perspective.
- Look into finances and living situations to assess stability.
- Submit an honest, unbiased report to help the court make a fair decision.
This is literally their job, and in Ohio, Rule 48 lays out everything they’re supposed to do.
So what happens when a GAL doesn’t do their job? Apparently, nothing—except the court still expects you to pay them.
How Jennifer Robbins Failed to Do Her Job
I was ordered to pay Jennifer Robbins for her work as the GAL in my custody case. But why should I have to pay for something I never actually got?
1. She Never Conducted Home Inspections
One of the biggest things a GAL is supposed to do is visit each parent’s home. That never happened. Not once.
She never came to my house. She never went to my ex-wife Rebecca’s house. How do you evaluate a child’s living situation without even stepping inside the homes?
2. She Never Provided Monthly Fee Reports
By law, GALs have to send monthly financial statements so parents know what they’re being charged for. Guess how many I got?
Zero.
Yet I’m just supposed to hand over money without knowing what I’m paying for?
3. She Was Completely Biased
A GAL is supposed to be neutral—but Jennifer Robbins clearly favored my ex from the start.
She ignored key evidence that helped my case, she never gave me a fair shot, and it was obvious that she wasn’t actually doing an investigation—just going through the motions to justify her paycheck.
4. She ADMITTED She Didn’t Follow Protocol
Here’s the crazy part—she actually admitted in court that she didn’t do everything she was supposed to do.
So let’s get this straight… she didn’t do the work, she admitted she didn’t do the work, but I’m still expected to pay her?
Make that make sense.
My Day in Court: Facing Magistrate John Pico
So I take my case to court, ready to lay out all the proof that Jennifer Robbins completely failed in her role as GAL. I’ve got documentation, receipts—everything I need to show that she did not do her job.
I barely get started when Magistrate John Pico cuts me off and says:
“Well, you won, didn’t you?”
…Excuse me?
1. No, I Didn’t ‘Win’
Let’s get something straight—nobody won.
- My ex-wife wanted full custody.
- I also went for full custody because I believed it was best for Tanner.
- We ended up with shared parenting.
If I had “won,” I would have full custody. If Rebecca had “won,” she would have full custody. We compromised.
So what exactly did I “win”?
2. What Does ‘Winning’ Have to Do with Paying a GAL?
Even if I had won, what does that have to do with whether the GAL did her job?
If you hire someone to do a job, and they don’t do it, do you still have to pay them?
If a roofer shows up, does a terrible job, and leaves your roof half-done, do you go, “Well, I got my roof done in the end, so I’ll just pay them anyway”?
No. That’s not how it works.
But in family court, that’s exactly how it works.
The Bigger Problem: Family Court Corruption
This isn’t just about one bad Guardian ad Litem—this is about a broken system that:
- Protects GALs even when they fail.
- Doesn’t give parents any way to dispute fees when the GAL doesn’t do their job.
- Lets judges dismiss clear evidence of bias and misconduct.
And let’s be real—this isn’t my first issue with Magistrate John Pico.
- The first time I went to court asking for equal custody of my son, he laughed at me.
- He originally gave my ex full custody without any evidence that I was unfit.
- I had to fight just to get shared parenting—which should have been a given from the start.
This is what fathers go through in family court.
What Needs to Change?
I’m not just complaining—I want actual change. Here’s what needs to happen:
- Jennifer Robbins should be removed as a GAL for failing to follow Rule 48.
- Magistrate John Pico should be investigated for his history of bias.
- Family courts need to stop forcing parents to pay for GALs who don’t do their job.
- Parents should have a way to dispute GAL fees when they fail their responsibilities.
If any other professional failed at their job this badly, they’d be fired. Why are GALs any different?
Join the Conversation: Have You Dealt with a Biased GAL?
I know I’m not the only parent who has been screwed over by a bad GAL or an unfair judge. If this has happened to you—I want to hear your story.
- Drop a comment below.
- Share this post so more people see what’s going on.
- Let’s call this system out for what it is.
The more people talk about this, the harder it’ll be for them to keep getting away with it.
Let’s make some noise.