Patrick v. County of Los Angeles: A High Profile Fight for Parental Rights

When most parents think about the government stepping into their family life, they imagine protection, safety, and fairness. But what happens when the very system designed to protect children instead tears families apart with lies, bias, and fabricated reports? That is the heart of my case, Patrick v. County of Los Angeles.

A Published Precedent

In 2023, a federal court ruled that my lawsuit could move forward after I accused Los Angeles County social workers of judicial deception, deliberately making false statements in dependency court. The court refused to dismiss the claims and denied qualified immunity to a social worker, recognizing that fabricating evidence against a parent violates clearly established constitutional rights.

That ruling is now published on Westlaw and Lexis (Patrick v. County of Los Angeles, 2023 WL 9100994; 2024 WL 54590). This means my case is part of the legal record that other parents, lawyers, and judges can cite across the country. Click: Violation of Parent's or Child's Rights to Familial Association Under Fourth or Fourteenth Amendment Based on False Statements

Why This Case Is High Profile

This case is about more than me. It is about every parent’s right to family, due process, and fair treatment under the law.

My lawsuit challenges both Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties, two of the largest CPS agencies in the United States. I have raised claims under the Fourteenth Amendment, including family rights and equal protection, under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disability accommodations, and under ICWA for Native family placement protections.

The filings I submitted include evidence of false reports, ignored family placement options, ADA discrimination, and even bias against me as a gay father. If successful, this case could set a landmark precedent for CPS accountability and the rights of disabled and LGBT parents across the country.

The Counties’ Response

Both counties are fighting back hard. In July 2025, they filed motions for summary judgment, asking the court to throw out my case before trial.

I filed detailed oppositions supported by emails, family declarations, ADA records, exhibits, and Ninth Circuit precedent. The court will set a hearing date to decide whether the case will proceed to trial.

Why Families Should Care

This is not just about one family. My case represents thousands of parents who have lost children to a system that too often relies on false statements, ignores exculpatory evidence, and refuses to provide required accommodations.

If the government can take children from a loving and fit parent by fabricating evidence, without accountability, then no family is safe.

The Bigger Fight

I am not only fighting in court. I have written a book titled Stolen Children by CPS, started a nonprofit, and am building a movement to demand reform. Families deserve a system that protects children without destroying innocent parents.

My case is already high profile in the legal world, but with your help, it can also become a high profile movement for justice.

How You Can Help

Share this story on social media.

Follow updates at https://www.stolenchildrenbycps.com/blog

Support families by spreading awareness about CPS accountability.

This case is not just my story. It is a fight for every family’s right to stay together.

Patrick v. County of Los Angeles et al.