We spent years documenting the challenges faced by families in Solano County’s legal system. The vast majority of people who walk into family court are self-represented. They do not have the income, legal education, or network to fight back against judicial misconduct. Many of these litigants are survivors of abuse, already deeply disadvantaged and vulnerable. For years, they were allegedly harmed by a system that seemed designed to fail them. They had limited resources to fight back.
This is why the Sweeney v. Carringer lawsuit is a landmark case for the community.
This case is different. John Donnelly Sweeney and Jennifer Frost may not be part of the legal establishment, but they have a systemic advantage that many of our families do not. They have the resources, tenacity, and understanding of the legal system to challenge an allegedly corrupt network of government officials, including judges. They have the ability to take on a system that has long operated with impunity and in the shadows.
For years, we have seen how judges like Christine Carringer allegedly abused their power, manipulated outcomes, and endangered families, with no consequence. The victims of this alleged misconduct were often too exhausted, too poor, or too traumatized to pursue justice through any channel. Their pleas for help were brushed aside.
The Sweeney lawsuit is a moment of reckoning. It is a powerful example of what happens when a person with the ability to fight back finally takes a judge to task for alleged misconduct. The accusations in the lawsuit align perfectly with the pattern of behavior we have documented for years: the abuse of power, the alleged disregard for legal procedure, and the manipulation of outcomes.
The Sweeney lawsuit is a powerful example of what happens when a judge who allegedly got away with so much for so long is finally held accountable.