Bounced Between Offices: When Everyone Says “Not My Job” After receiving the custody ruling in 2022, I believed that the institutions would now support me — or at least acknowledge their part…
Author: evan
A Custody Ruling That Closed Every Door
A Custody Ruling That Closed Every Door In 2023, after years of unanswered letters, failed embassy visits, and legal silence, I finally received a decision from a German family court. It confirmed…
When a Child Has No Country: The Long Road to Citizenship Begins
When Origin Doesn’t Grant Belonging I never imagined I would have to explain to a civil registrar why my child doesn’t legally carry my name. In early 2014, in a notary’s office…
Die Macht der Gutachterin – Wenn Expertise das Recht überholt
Ein persönlicher Erfahrungsbericht aus dem deutschen Familiengerichtssystem Im Zentrum vieler familiengerichtlicher Verfahren in Deutschland steht das Gutachten. Was in der Theorie als objektive Einschätzung einer neutralen Fachperson gedacht ist, entwickelt sich in…
Where Goethe Meets Aristotle — And Where German Family Law Forgot Them Both
1. Introduction, Germany gave us Goethe. Yet its justice system has forgotten what he stood for. Goethe was not just a poet; he was a thinker of rare depth, a scientist of…
What Kind of Generation Are We Raising?
Introduction: From “Toughen Up” to “Are You Okay?” Those of us born in the 1970s grew up in a world that was beginning to recognize the value of psychology and emotional intelligence—but…
A Week Without My Car: What I Learned on the Bus
Introduction: A Mechanical Problem, A Human Opportunity Last week, my car went to the mechanic. Nothing major—just one of those necessary repairs we tend to postpone until it’s no longer avoidable. I…
“Drowning in a Spoonful of Water”: The Quiet Struggle of Single Parents
Introduction: A Greek Truth in a Global Reality There’s a saying in Greek:“Πνίγομαι σε μια κουταλιά νερό.”“I’m drowning in a spoonful of water.” It captures the feeling of being overwhelmed by things…
Reconciliation Beyond the Courtroom: Why My Children’s Mother Will Always Matter
Introduction: More Than a Legal Matter In family law, especially in systems like Germany’s, there’s a strong emphasis on conciliation—finding a solution that works for everyone without assigning clear winners or losers….
The Court and the Law – A Personal Journey Through Family Justice Systems
When I filed my petition requesting sole custody of my children, my knowledge of the German legal system was extremely limited. However, I had already been exposed to Family Law in other…