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My problem was that I was at my wit’s end to know what to do next. Judge Gold had retired right after my case, but had permission to continue to preside over the case for ever more. I complained to the Commission on Judicial Performance. They responded that they had no jurisdiction over a retired judge. I complained to the D.A. He responded that they never got involved with Family Court cases or domestic disputes. I tried to go public with newpapers. Their response was obviously based upon their holy script, that Lynn was a celebrity saint and I was a rogue, and I probably got what I deserved.
Did I hear back from His Honor? I did! From his office manager anyway. Response was that it would be dealt with properly at the Appeal level. And it sure was, as I later found out.
I was one of the wounded that Division One is known to enjoy shooting. And Division Three, which had a record of reversing Judge Gold, would not hear my Custody case. Said I was too slow providing documents, go away. And on appeal to the California Supreme Court, a curt denial.
Anyway, here was my letter:
August 29, 2001
Dear Judge George,
I am British born and a U.S. citizen since 1965. I have been married to the actress Lynn Redgrave for 32 years, I have lived in my beautiful home for 21 years, I am 68 years old, I am now divorced by Lynn.
I am writing you informally to ask you to consider removing retired Judge Arnold H. Gold from hearing my case any more. I know he is still sitting on my case because you assigned him to continue presiding over it since his retirement May 21, 2001. I now have to chase him around (last week he was sitting in Long Beach, and I was serving an ex parte, and he ordered me there for an OSC)
I have filed, in pro per, many many briefs seeking to recuse Judge Gold. He heard the 2 cases which effect me in March and April, (Marriage of Clark LASC, BD 296 320, and a paternity suit BF 013 155). I am the defendant in both cases. Judge Gold insisted on hearing both of these cases, even while knowing he was about to retire, and I took them consecutively, in pro per over 20 days. I am proud of the way I handled the cases, I am from a tradition of British law, and I am not an idiot. I also had to get rid of my lawyers, because I was out of funds.
As a result of Judge Gold’s rulings, Notices of Appeal have been filed. I am confident that my appeals will be upheld, based upon the evidence of the courtroom conduct.
Judge Gold as of this writing, has done the following:
– Put me in jail on my 68th birthday for no good reason (he said I was slow producing 1 minor discovery item in court, even though I arranged to bring it the next day).
– Allowed my wife to leave the country in the middle of my questioning her (she’s still gone).
– Ordered me to pay opposing attorneys fees, amounting to over $350,000, including a sanction of $155,000 I have to pay to an attorney he worked with in the same law firm at one time.
– Ordered that my home be sold to pay the penalties. I asked for a wastage bond, he fixed it at 1 million dollars, which he knows I cannot make.
– Ordered that the only way I could see my ten year old son was under the strict supervision of a monitor. He doesn’t wish to see me, according to his mother, so I haven’t seen him for over a year.
– Ordered them to live down the street from me in a small cottage which my wife and I own.
I could live with this, for I am confident of winning my appeals. But he refuses to stay his rulings pending the appeal. Now, he has
– Ordered my eviction from my home on September 10 for the purposes of selling it so I can then pay these penalties out of my share of the house.
– Ordered opposing attorneys to sell any possessions found on my property, regardless of who they belong to.
Judge George, I know that so far you will not be moved by an appeal not unlike hundreds of others you must receive.
However, I think there is more to this, which deserves your attention as Chief Justice of our courts system.
I have discovered his own messy divorce case. He too was an in pro per, no money at first, and it lasted 5 years from 1968.
His wife divorced him on the grounds of extreme cruelty, domestic violence, adultery and mismanagement of his wife’s inheritance. Her allegations were upheld by the court, and they granted her custody of their 3 children. Then later, he got custody, and took them away from her.
And now, there is the recently revealed scandal of the L.A. Superior Court’s “slush fund”, funded, it is thought, in part by contributions from family court lawyers. I cannot make irresponsible accusations, but in my opinion, there is the appearance of the possibility that part of my payments of about $350,000 to the attorneys may be kicked back by being laundered through this fund. Judge Gold is retired, and cannot be fired. Already, there is an abstract of judgment, and collection procedures have commenced.
On September 10, I will be homeless, nowhere to go. My beautiful home next to Topanga State Park where I run every day will be gone so as to pay my wealthy movie star wife, who doesn’t need the money. I am retired, have no income apart from my wife’s meagre support, and now I have no funds to fight my appeals. And my supersedeas/writs have all been denied.
I do not ask for a response from you, nor am I asking you to check the cases, or even spend a moment’s time on this if you don’t wish to. (Although Katz v. Katz 2d App. No. B147987 is worth your attention, Judge Gold reversed and severely reprimanded.)
All I am asking for is that Judge Gold be taken off my cases, so that I can be heard by another judge. I think if you had known about all of this, you would not have appointed him to continue my cases to conclusion, given that he was retired. I even filed a peremptory challenge on his return, which he denied me.
I am appending exhibits to this letter.
Most respectfully.
Yours sincerely,
(Signed) JOHN CLARK
Encs.
Press clippings
1968 Arnold Gold Divorce case
[RESULT: APPEALS COURT SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT, DIVISION 1, REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES RAISED, AND AFFIRMED ALL RULINGS IN FAVOR OF REDGRAVE. LATER CAME THE SUPREME COURT’S ONE WORD RESPONSE TO MY PETITION FOR REVIEW: DENIED.]