Did You Hear About the 6th Grader Sueing Her Father?

United States
April 8, 2009 10:30pm CST
I was reading about this case in the AOL News about how a twelve year old girl (Canada I believe) sued her father for a punishment he enacted upon her. What is really ridiculous is that the judge agreed with her. From what I gathered the parents are divorced, so at the time she was either living or visiting with her dad. She was suppossed to go on a school field trip, but the father said no because she went against his orders and went on the internet. So here is his punishment for her going on the internet when told not to that had a judge ruling aganist the father. Wait for it.......grounding!!! Can you believe it, she is suing her father because he grounded her! They said that this ruined the relationship between the two. Go figure. I don't know what I would do if my child did that. So my question is was the judge and/or daughter right in the decision? You alread have my opintion, so lets hear yours.
2 people like this
16 responses
@dodo19 (47044)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
9 Apr 09
Now, this is really incredible. I can't believe that a child would actually do that. Like you, I don't know what I would do, if my child decided to sue me, because I grounded them. I really don't have a clue. I'd most likely be crushed. That's for sure. I wouldn't be surprised if I was crushed, to say the least.
1 person likes this
• United States
9 Apr 09
I completely agree. My sister even metioned something about disownment. I can't even count how many times I was grounded and I never once thought of suing my parents becasue I respected them, not to mention a little afraid.
1 person likes this
• United States
9 Apr 09
I also agree. I would have never imagined suing my parents for grounding me. I may have been upset about it, but that's something that you are supposed to get over.
1 person likes this
@dodo19 (47044)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
21 Apr 09
I think that there was also the fact that I knew that what I did was wrong. So, I really have no reason to sue.
1 person likes this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
9 Apr 09
Actually, this is why kids are so out of control. They are right in one thing, the situation ruined the relationship b/c now the father has no control over the kid and probably won't want her around since there's no way to make her mind. I wouldn't be surprised if the mother isn't the next one in court for a simular situation and then when the kid ends up in court later as an adult they courts will be yelling about why didn't the parents raise her right. [b]~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~ **STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS**[/b]
1 person likes this
@anuraa32 (2446)
• India
6 May 09
I totally agree
• India
9 Apr 09
More than the girl or the judge I think we should really look at the society we are living in. when did human rights cross the threshold of acceptable issues and delve right into our personal relations? How imperative are rules and laws in defining parent-child relationship…and can such a relationship BE controlled by laws? If a father punishes his daughter by grounding her (no hitting or any sort of physical/mental abuse) and he is in turn dragged to the court, what basis remains for father-daughter relation? I really think this is going too far now
• United States
9 Apr 09
Exactly. Grounding is a very minor punishment. Parents are already getting criticised for spanking, but now grounding. Children need some kind of discipline or they are going to realize they can get away with anything and then are society is going to be alot worse than it is now.
@MisterPlus (1915)
• Philippines
9 Apr 09
Children have the right to fight for their right. The father should have talked to the child about her behavior not giving a punishment of not going to her school filed trip because she did not obey her father. There could have been other punishment but not a school activity for the child to learn because it is her right to have the access to studies. I guess that is what the judge saw on the side of the girl.
• United States
9 Apr 09
For all you know the father did talk to her. There have been times where I could not go on a trip or something special becasue of something I did, but it was something I did, which is why and would get upset, but that was the end of it. She has the right to talk to her father, but suing your own father went a little to far. Plus if the judge didn't want it as "an open invitation for other kids" then he should have not made the ruling. I'm sure there is something else that could have been done.
@eichs1 (1934)
• Philippines
9 Apr 09
What a crap! Will the judge take care of the child if the father will have to go jail? I really hate it when we elaborately talk about the rights of children without even considering the desire of the parents to keep their children disciplined. What's next after this? Blame the parents for producing problematic/unruly citizens? I think our law enforces or the judicial system should consider that parents generally just want what is best for their kids. A few may not be fit raising kids but there are millions of normal parents out there. These normal parents may err from time to time, however, their intentions are still for the good of the children.
• United States
9 Apr 09
Rosered- Actually this was the appeal and he lost! I dont know if it has been addressed here or not but he caught her posting inappropriate photos of herself online. Insane! http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2009/04/07/mtl-quebecgirl-sues-dad-0407.html
• United States
9 Apr 09
Yes! I think the judge also mentioned that kids should not use this as an invatation to sue their parents and then a lawyer or somebody said well why did you make the ruling? Now another child will do the same since she got away with it. I think the judge is going to have alot of problems coming his way in the near future.
• United States
9 Apr 09
I would imagine that the father will have an apeal and this judges ruling will be thrown out. The first time around is never the last say unless it is in arbitration and there are ways around that too. As for it being my own child, I couldn't imagine the pain of it much less the embarrasment it would cause. Afterwards you couldn't punish your child again or face going back to court. I remember getting spankings and grounded, not being able to watch tv let alone having the net to go on. Kids these days just do not know how good they have it compared to what we had, 7 tv channels, what was a booster seat?, seat belts, who used them?, bottled water, hello we drank from the garden hose and it tasted good. Maybe if they had to live and grow up as we did a grounding would be the least of their worries.
@emilie2300 (1882)
• United States
9 Apr 09
I think that is ridiculouse for a child to sue there parent for being grounded. And the judge ruled in her favor come on?? I could not imagine my child which is in 6th grade also to sue me for something like this I would be crushed heartbroken words just can't explain how I would feel right now. Grounding teaches disipline if you did wrong you going to get grounded for it she was told not to go on and she did. It be different if the father beat her or something for her going on but he didn't. That's just insane. What did the judge award her with any way?
• United States
10 Apr 09
No problem. I was just curious on what the judge awarded her with since the judge ruled in her favor. I am sure it did ruin there relationship and that's sad. Have a Happy Easter...
• United States
9 Apr 09
Thanks for commenting. I don't know what she was awarded with, because the article didn't delve into much. All it mentioned is the basic senario and that it ruined their relationship.
@rubypatson (1841)
• India
9 Apr 09
This is shocking, whats the world coming to, how are we to correct children when they go wrong i really wonder whats with the judge he must be crazy
@us2owls (1681)
• United States
9 Apr 09
What is this world coming to? Where did this girl find an attorney to take this ridiculous lawsuit to court in the first place? The father now has to fight this nasty little girl in court to clear his name. The judge has to be a complete idiot to hear the case in the first place let alone make a ruling like this on it. With something like this both the attorney and the judge should be disbarred.
@athinapie (1150)
• Philippines
9 Apr 09
Wow this is really a peculiar story. I mean, obviously this girl really wants things to go on her way because she doesn't even care about her father. Why would she sue her father for punishing her? He was just doing his job. It's not like he did something major to her. This is really silly.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
9 Apr 09
Here in the U.S. I don't think a child wouldn't be able to sue a parent because a child can't sign a legal document so maybe Canada needs to fix that problem before thousands of spoiled brats start suing their parents and clogging up the courts. As far as the judge in the case goes...whatta moron!
• United States
9 Apr 09
Dont, be so quick to think it cant happen here, because it has. http://www.parentalrights.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={81C1F260-4A9F-4013-8164-68A360E295A5} This is a site devoted to the parental rights amendment, but I was able to find reference to these and cases like these on the net. It makes me angry that a judge, any judge would even consider hearing some of this crap.
@jessi0887 (2788)
• United States
9 Apr 09
This is ridicolous. I can't believe a child would do this. Along with that a judge agreeing with her. I hope my children are never that snobby.
• Philippines
9 Apr 09
Really weird story. I can't believe a chiled would go to court and actually sue her father just for grounding her. This is really ridiculous. Well, I am coming from a point that no parent would do actions that would harm their childer or these actions are not for the benefit of their children. Gone are the days that the children would really trust their parents for their actions. Nowadays, everybody wants to be liberated at a very early age which is not good. You see a lot of crimes or faults in the society are products of actions of youth who are very in a hurry to do something. What are your thoughts on these guys?
• United States
9 Apr 09
Hi tcycharmy, I responded to your post below, but I wanted to let you know I asked to be added as your friend, I noticed on a make more money post you had some good sites you would share. I can not figure out how to pm so can you please add me and pm me. Thanks, rosered
• United States
9 Apr 09
I already added you and I will PM later on today. Thanks again.
@anuraa32 (2446)
• India
6 May 09
Grounded.... At least it is not a capital punishment. Arent children supposed to listen to what parents say. And parents are not our enemies. Why is the law system so open that a 12 year old child can sue. She is not an adult yet. Does such a young kid really know what is right and wrong. ANd what kind of attitude are you building in your younger generation. The attitude of getting back at someone for getting what you want even if that some one is your own father. And for what ..... a measly field trip. And what about being able to handle downs of life. If one can sue ones own father for this then are we going to keep sueing every person who does not agree to give what we want. And then how is one suppose to discipline one's child. Disciplining is not about letting your child do whatever he wants and letting him go scotfree if he does something wrong.
• United States
9 Apr 09
"There's got to be more to it than that" would be the ubiquitous phrase. I'm torn between my understanding that the media will exaggerate anything into a juicy story, and my understanding that we live in the most litigious society ever produced by man.
• Philippines
9 Apr 09
The child must be a spoiled brat. First of all, if girl wants to go she should've followed his father. The kid is weird. And the judge, well, it was unfair for the father's part, he could've just oversee it. What kind of judging is that.