Michael Volpe Investigates Podcast The Impromptu: Episode 21 an Interview with Michael Chaplin

Michael Chaplin joins me in the latest episode.

He is a litigant in family court in Monmouth County.

I recently interviewed Sarah Hamilton for this podcast, also from Monmouth County.

I previously reported a great deal on the Rachel Alintoff Vs. Bryan Alintoff divorce. Find more here.

I also did an in-depth look at Monmouth in 2019, naming many of these judges: found here.

Here is my confrontation with Judge Angela White Dalton, who was on Rachel’s case at the time.

In fact, Chaplin told me that his divorce is going on its ninth year and that is the second longest behind Rachel’s.

We spoke about some of the most notorious judges in Monmouth County: Judge Lesley Ann Justus, Judge Terrance Flynn, Judge Mara Zazzalli-Hogan, Judge Paul Escandon, and Judge James Troiani.

In Chaplin’s case, he had physical custody of one son while being barred for months at a time from seeing another child.

He said both Judge Flynn and Judge Zazzali-Hogan were able to get New Jersey State Police to harass him.

Judge Justus, Chaplin said, would make egregious mistakes and refuse to fix them; she would float in and out of the family court system.

He also spoke about Judge Escandon, the most notorious judge in Monmouth.

Much has been written because several hundred- primarily women- have complained about him; in one case, he gave a mobster in witness protection sole custody.

Judge Escandon was still nominated by then Governor Chris Christie for a lifetime appointment in 2016. Mike was at the hearing and he described what happened.

Here is some more local coverage from when the hearing was held.

Superior Court Judge Paul X. Escandon won tenure and another 19 years on the bench Thursday, over the objections of dozens of women litigants who told state lawmakers the Monmouth County jurist treated them unfairly in family court matters.

Escandon, 51, was approved for tenured judgeship in a 22-to-9 vote in the state Senate. Under state law, he will be permitted to serve until the mandatory retirement age of 70.

Since Escandon was first tapped for reappointment in May, his time in the Monmouth County family court has come under scrutiny by both state lawmakers and those appearing before him. Some of the most vociferous criticism has centered around the child custody case of former Marlboro resident Patricia Madison and her ex-husband, Nicholas Pisciotti.

At one point during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Monday, Madison yelled out from the audience, "You ruined my children's lives. It's deliberate. (Escandon) defrauded the court. He's a (expletive) criminal."

Finally, we discussed how the local and national media have covered his and other cases.

Here is Mike Chaplin talking more about his case.

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