What Alabama DHR and the Courts Don’t Want You to See
Michael Griggs
Jul 3, 2025 · 4 min read
This isn’t a story. It’s a record — based on real court documents, timelines, and verified evidence. This is how the system used red tape, jurisdictional failure, and silence to erase a fit father.
The Beginning: I Was Awarded Custody
On April 1, 2024, the Alabama court finalized a divorce judgment that awarded me, Michael Griggs, sole legal and physical custody of both of my children. This was not a temporary order — it was detailed, notarized, and backed by a full custody agreement ratified by the court.
The court found this arrangement to be in the children’s best interest — and nothing in the record contradicted that. But that decision didn’t stop what came next.
DHR Filed for Dependency Anyway
Just one week later, on April 8, 2024, Lee County DHR filed verified dependency petitions for both children, alleging past domestic violence, drug use, and instability — not based on current risk, but heavily leaning on history dating back to 2011.
Despite the fact that:
- I had been in active recovery since November 29, 2022
- I complied with every required service, including parenting classes, anger management, and visitation
- The court-appointed GAL and CASA both supported reunification with me
...the court allowed the dependency case to proceed. Worse, they never once acknowledged the existing custody order from the divorce.
The ICPC Excuse
Because I lived in Georgia, DHR claimed they couldn’t return the children to me without completing the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC).
But here's what the record shows:
- ICPC was never completed
- No home study was denied
- No ruling was issued
- No documentation was provided to the court or to me
Instead, ICPC was used as a delaying tactic to justify keeping the children in foster care while treating me like a stranger to the case.
From Kinship Care to Court-Controlled Visitation
Initially, the children were placed with relatives (their aunt and uncle). That placement broke down due to health-related issues with my uncle, and DHR moved them to foster care.
From that point on, I was allowed only one hour of supervised visitation per week — despite no court order requiring supervision.
I maintained full compliance:
- Passed drug tests
- Attended every visit
- Met with social workers
- Completed mental health evaluations and service plans
None of that changed the outcome.
The Court Ignored the Law
On July 25, 2024, the Lee County Juvenile Court ruled both of my children dependent and awarded full custody to DHR — despite:
- A 2023 paternity order granting me joint custody
- A 2024 divorce judgment granting me sole custody
- A complete lack of clear and convincing evidence that I posed any current danger
- GAL and CASA testimony that my home was safe and stable
The court never referenced the existing custody orders. It used my past to paint a narrative of unfitness, ignoring two full years of sobriety and compliance.
The Appeal That Didn’t Matter
On July 30, 2024, we filed a formal appeal, citing every error:
- Legal custody had already been granted to me
- DHR failed to prove dependency under Ala. Code §12-15-102(8)(a)
- GAL and CASA supported me
- ICPC was weaponized without legal basis
- The judge relied on hearsay, old allegations, and dismissed my rights without explanation
Still, on April 11, 2025, the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals affirmed the dependency ruling — without explanation.
This Is How They Buried My Fatherhood
- They split the case into two separate files to create confusion and delay
- They disregarded an existing custody judgment from their own state
- They denied my rights as a fit father without ever ruling me unfit
- They treated my out-of-state residence as abandonment
- They buried the facts beneath outdated accusations and institutional bias
This Is the First Brick in the Wall of Truth
Every word of this post is backed by court transcripts, orders, filings, motions, and appeal briefs. This isn’t a narrative. It’s evidence.
If it happened to me, it can happen to any parent. Especially a father. Especially across state lines.
So we built this blog not just to be heard, but to record what the system buries.
We are not going away. We are not backing down. And we are not the only ones.
#WallOfTruth #FathersRights #DHR #FamilyLaw #DependencyReform #Custody #ICPCAbuse #DueProcess #TheFathersAlliance
