You Have the Right to Speak Out — And They Can’t Stop You

For far too long, Child Protective Services (CPS) and county agencies like Los Angeles County DCFS and San Bernardino County CFS have operated behind closed doors — hiding misconduct, silencing parents, and intimidating whistleblowers. But here’s the truth: when government officials break the law, parents have the constitutional right to speak out about it.

I am Morris Patrick, Plaintiff in Morris Patrick v. County of Los Angeles, et al., Case No. 2:22-CV-02846-MWC-BFM (C.D. Cal.), and CEO of Stolen Children by CPS. I have lived through eight years of stolen fatherhood — and eight years of my children’s stolen childhood — because of these agencies’ violations of law, policy, and basic human decency.

The Law Is on Parents’ Side

If CPS social workers, attorneys, or county officials violated the law, you have the right to expose them — publicly. The First Amendment protects truthful speech about matters of public concern, and multiple Supreme Court precedents make this clear:

• New York Times Co. v. United States (1971) — Known as the Pentagon Papers case, the Court ruled the government cannot impose prior restraints (censorship before publication) on truthful information of public importance.

New York Times Co. v. United States, 403 U.S. 713 (1971).pdf

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• Bartnicki v. Vopper (2001) — The Court held that even if information was obtained by a third party unlawfully, a citizen who lawfully receives it may publish it if it addresses a matter of public concern.

Bartnicki v. Vopper, 532 U.S. 514 (2001).pdf

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• New York Times v. Sullivan (1964) — Protects speech criticizing public officials, requiring proof of “actual malice” for defamation claims — meaning you can’t be silenced for telling the truth about misconduct.

New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964).pdf

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These cases mean one thing: government officials cannot use the courts to stop you from sharing truthful, documented evidence of their wrongdoing.

Why I Filed My Case and Made It Public

Between August 8–10, 2025, I filed Dkt. 199–235 in federal court — permanent PACER records proving:

• ADA and Rehabilitation Act violations against me as a deaf parent

• LGBTQ+ discrimination targeting me as a gay father

• Brady violations (withholding evidence that would have cleared me)

• Retaliation against parent advocates like Marissa Hernandez

• Perjury (Penal Code § 118) under oath

• Due process violations that blocked lawful family placement and reunification

• Systemic patterns of abuse also documented in other federal cases (Dkt. 115, p. 6, ¶18)

This is federal public record.

You can’t seal it.

You can’t strike it.

You can’t stop me from posting it — on Facebook, my website, or anywhere else the public can see it.

This Is Bigger Than My Case

If they did this to me, they’ve done it to other parents. My case, and the related cases of other parents in federal court, show a systemic pattern of rights violations. This is not about one family — it’s about an entire broken system.

To Every Parent Reading This:

If CPS took your children without cause, if they violated the law or ignored policy, if they retaliated against you for speaking out — you have the right to tell your story. Post it. Share your documents. Educate the public. Use the courts, the press, and social media.

The First Amendment is not optional. It’s the law.

And I will not stop until this system changes.

Read my official filing: For Immediate Release – August 10, 2025

View the full public exhibit index: Dkt. 199–235