CT Family Court Condones "Bogus" Abuse of Process, Local Chiropractor Says
Recent Appellate Court Filing Alleges Shocking Tactics Tolerated By Judge Jane Kupson Grossman
Dr. Luigi DiRubba, a well-known Connecticut chiropractor and father of six, filed an appeal with the Appellate Court earlier this month. He seeks to have Judge Jane Kupson Grossman’s December 2022 Order denying reunification with his children thrown out based on a slew of legal defects.
The papers allege Dr. DiRubba’s ex-wife, Anna Maria DiRubba (née Mongillo), has a pattern of using “bogus” criminal allegations to further her case in CT Family Court. Throughout the contentious case, which began in 2016 and has cost the chiropractor north of $1.3 million, Dr. DiRubba has been arrested “no less than seven times.” The accuser in at least six of the false arrests was Anna Maria. In the others, Dr. DiRubba says the claimants were put up to it by Anna Maria.
All cases were dismissed because they lacked merit.
Dr. DiRubba alleges an abusive and malicious pattern of disrespect for the law, highlighted by Anna Maria’s most recent end-run around the Family Court’s reunification orders from October 2020 and May 2022. She absconded to Florida with the children and didn’t tell a soul.
Abuse of the Criminal Justice System?
Represented by Attorney Marianne Charles, Anna Maria has used the criminal justice system to prevent Dr. DiRubba from reuniting with his children in defiance of Family Court orders.
“[Anna Maria DiRubba] continues to make every effort to withhold Defendant Father from reunification with his children. Once again, it is undisputed that Defendant has complied with all Court Orders in this regard. Defendant was arrested no less than 7 times all cases were nulla prosed as the cases were bogus,” the Appellate Court filing said.
One arrest occurred in the spring of 2019 outside the elementary school of his youngest children. Dr. DiRubba was set to pick them up and even had a brand-new five-month-old puppy in tow they were set to name that day. Knowing that Dr. DiRubba was to see his children, Anna Maria made a police complaint, pointing out exactly where he would be.
“The Court had just allowed me to see my children, and I was ready to pick them up from school. Besides me and the kids, there were only four people who knew that I would be there, and two of them were Anna Maria and Marianne Charles,” Dr. DiRubba said.
Dr. DiRubba believes that an “evil” ex-wife set him up. “That entire situation was traumatic, especially for the children who had to watch their father get handcuffed and taken to a police car in front of all their classmates and parents. But that was [Anna Maria’s] intention all along,” Dr. DiRubba said.
Taken to the criminal court in Meriden, the case was thrown out almost immediately after the jacket hit the judge’s desk. “The judge looked up from reading the file and asked the police officers, ‘What is this?’ I walked out of the courtroom about a minute later with the case thrown out,” Dr. DiRubba said.
But the damage had already been done. Anna Maria had effectively used the machinery of Connecticut criminal justice to perp-walk her ex-husband for no reason other than to keep him from seeing his children after a Judge dared to allow the meeting.
“By her chicanery and outright pathological behavior, she succeeded in keeping me from seeing my children beginning that summer and going forward.”
Silver Bullets For Some?
Some family law attorneys employ “Silver Bullet Divorce” tactics, urging clients to make false (and often criminal) spousal and child abuse claims against their partners to gain an advantage in divorce cases. This strategy involves filing for Protection From Abuse (PFA) orders as a negotiating tool rather than genuine protection.
By including PFAs in divorce filings, attorneys gain leverage and evidence applicable to the divorce proceedings, even without substantial proof of harm or fear.
Anne Marie DiRubba’s actions smack of “Silver Bullet Divorce” practice, and it beckons the questions, ‘Was she counseled into it?’ and ‘What is Dr. DiRubba’s recourse (if any)?’
Lizelle Martin is a lawyer and family law consultant who has reviewed Dr. DiRubba’s case. From the track record, Dr. DiRubba has had very little recourse against his ex-wife’s tactics.
“Dr. DiRubba has attempted on various occasions to lay charges against Anna Maria for the false police charges. The GAL Janis Labirette has indeed reported to DCF that Anna Maria was using the criminal justice system to further herself in Family Court. This was blatantly ignored,” Martin said.
She continued, “Caseworkers have reported that Annamaria is brainwashing the children. This was still blatantly ignored, causing further phycological detriment not only to the children but also to their father, who had done nothing else but love his children so passionately. Luigi is the perfect example of a good loving father.”
Many parents are good and loving, but that can give tiny comfort if your ex is a psychopath with a connected attorney and your criminal claims are ignored.
Interstate Kidnapping?
The recent Appellate Court filing seeks to correct activity Dr. DiRubba alleges is even more brazen than the “Silver Bullet Divorce” practice.
In May 2022, Judge Susan Connors permitted Dr. DiRubba to file a Modification of Child Custody for reunification. Dr. Carla Stover gave testimony relied upon by the court showing Dr. DiRubba had met all the previously-imposed conditions to see his children.
Once again, and despite the roadblocks by Anna Maria and Marianne Charles, the court ruled that Dr. DiRubba had done more than enough to have an opportunity. He was poised to see his children.
For Anna Maria, the court had the gall to allow Dr. DiRubba to see his brood. Immediately, she conspired to place them outside the jurisdiction of the State of Connecticut. Crossing at least nine state lines, Anna Maria relocated with her children to Florida without informing Dr. DiRubba or the court.
Connecticut law requires a thorough evaluation if a parent intends to move and if it would significantly impact an existing parenting plan. Before granting permission for a parent to relocate with a child, the relocating parent must prove that it is in the child’s best interests. Anna Maria disregarded these legal requirements entirely.
Notably, there is no record of any objections filed by Anna Maria against Judge Connors’ order permitting reunification. Anna Maria decided to relocate with the children to Florida, thumbing her nose at the law and the court.
Judge Jane Kupson Grossman’s Kangaroo Court?
On May 2, 2022, Judge Connors determined that Dr. DiRubba had fulfilled the conditions for reunification and subsequently issued a modification order on October 6, 2022. The papers allege that Anna Maria willfully disregarded the court’s facts and commands.
Dr. DiRubba promptly filed a Modification of Child Custody on May 10, 2022, the final step in reunification. Judge Jane Kupson Grossman had to sign off but failed to treat the application with any urgency, even after two emergency applications were filed once Dr. DiRubba discovered the children were removed from the state.
No hearing occurred for five months while Anna Maria put her unilateral relocation plan into action. With her kids in tow, she “took the midnight train down to Georgia” and continued into the Sunshine State. Judge Grossman signed off on both of Marianne Charles’ continuance requests.
The parties finally appeared before Judge Jane Kupson Grossman on October 5, 2022. The issue before the court was reunification.
According to the previously-issued Order of October 7, 2020, the children must meet with a reunification therapist twice a year. However, the order failed to ensure the children’s participation in the reunification process. The court effectively trusted Anna Maria, who had previously used the police and baseless arrests to keep Dr. DiRubba away, to ensure the children engaged in reunification.
At the hearing, the court-appointed therapist, Ms. Farbish, terminated the reunification process for the family. She testified that she did not believe reunification was possible, not having seen the children - who were now physically located in Florida - for over a year. Anna Maria provided no evidence the therapist had met with the children or provided any reports.
Dr. DiRubba presented testimony from Dr. Carla Stover, who writes the program and protocol for the Connecticut Department of Children and Families in alienating circumstances and reunification. Dr. Stover’s testimony indicated Anna Maria’s lack of interest in reunification therapy and parental alienation. She explained reunification therapy is crucial for children’s normal development, as they need both parents and a balanced male and female influence.
Failure to address parental alienation can lead to problems in future relationships and guilt for the child’s actions against the rejected parent. Dr. Stover explained that reunification therapy corrects emotional development issues and recognizes alienating behavior as a form of family violence.
Dr. Stover went so far as to schedule reunification conferences. Anna Maria flatly refused to participate.
“Dr. James Connolly’s report specifically stated that Anna Maria is alienating and intentionally obstructing any meaningful relationship I can have with my children. Dr. Connolly recommended reconsideration of custody if this behavior continued,” Dr. DiRubba said. He claims the CT Family Court has ignored Anna Maria’s harmful behavior.
Dr. DiRubba feels the proceedings before Judge Grossman was little more than a kangaroo court. “[Marianne Charles] diverted the court’s attention, allowing Anna Maria to relocate with the children to Florida. Judge Grossman ignored her alienating behavior and the intentional and strategic failure to acknowledge my compliance with court orders for reunification so that Anna Maria could abscond with my children 1,000 miles away,” Dr. DiRubba said.
On December 27, 2022, Judge Grossman formally issued the order denying reunification.
Serious Concerns Whether the Connecticut Courts Can Provide Appropriate Recourse
Dr. Luigi DiRubba is upset that the law appears to apply differently to different people in Connecticut, depending on who your attorneys are.
“I followed the court’s rules and won a chance at reunification. Yet under Marianne Charles’ counsel, Anna Maria absconded with my children out of state. If I had done the same thing, there would have been an Amber Alert, and I probably would have been arrested once again. Anna Maria gets to do what she wants and thumb her nose at court rulings she doesn’t like. She maliciously abuses the system with impunity from Judge Grossman. Where is the justice? I hope the Appellate Court sees it my way,” Dr. DiRubba said.
But the larger question is whether the Connecticut Courts can provide meaningful relief, even if he wins his appeal. With the children now out of state, if the Appellate Court finds errors in Judge Grossman, what commands can a Connecticut Judge make in Florida?
The integrity of the Connecticut Family Court system and the protection of parental rights is squarely at issue. The allegations presented by Dr. DiRubba indicate a pattern of abuse and manipulation by his ex-wife, Anna Maria DiRubba, who has used false criminal allegations and strategic relocation to thwart court orders and deny Dr. DiRubba reunification with his children.
Throughout the lengthy and costly legal battle, Dr. DiRubba has faced multiple baseless arrests orchestrated by Anna Maria, with all cases being dismissed due to lack of merit. These arrests tarnished Dr. DiRubba’s reputation and caused emotional distress for him and his children, who witnessed their father being handcuffed in front of their classmates and parents.
Anna Maria’s strategic decision to relocate with the children to Florida without informing Dr. DiRubba or obtaining court approval would violate Connecticut law and smack of sharp legal practice if Attorney Marianne Charles knew of Anna Maria’s nefarious motives. Dr. DiRubba believes Attorney Charles was the architect of Anna Maria’s strategy.
Despite the court’s previous orders for reunification and the significant impact such relocation would have on the existing parenting plan, Anna Maria disregarded the legal requirements and chose to defy the court.
The conduct of Judge Jane Kupson Grossman raises further concerns about the fairness of the proceedings. Despite Dr. DiRubba’s compliance with court orders and efforts towards reunification, the judge failed to address Anna Maria’s alienating behavior and ignored the intentional failure to acknowledge Dr. DiRubba’s compliance. This, coupled with the diversion tactics employed by Attorney Charles, raises questions about the impartiality of the court proceedings.
The outcome of this appeal will not only determine Dr. DiRubba’s ability to reunite with his children. Still, it will also shed light on the efficacy and fairness of the Connecticut Family Court system.
It is crucial that the Appellate Court carefully considers the legal defects alleged by Dr. DiRubba and ensures that justice is served, providing hope for parents facing similar challenges in the future. As it stands now, many feel the Connecticut Family Court is a form of “no recourse.” If the status quo remains the same, the DiRubba case may confirm these sentiments.
Richard Luthmann is a writer, commentator, satirist, and investigative journalist with degrees from Columbia University and the University of Miami. Once a fixture in New York City and State politics, Luthmann is a recovering attorney who lives in Southwest Florida and a proud member of the National Writers Union.
“I am a journalist who writes about justice, the courts, government officials, prisons, and reform. You find some questionable players in all these places and often outright crooks. Exposing these bottom feeders from the outside is sometimes the only way to make them pay the price for their injustice and misdeeds.”
“I use satire and opinion to make my point. I have already been told to ‘stop writing about the Government’ by the US Government, so I must be doing something right.”
“If you’re a victim of the system, maybe the press is the right forum for you. If you have experienced injustice and are tired of dropping tens of thousands of dollars without results, maybe it’s time to try the pen.”
Contact Richard Luthmann at 239-631-5957 or richard.luthmann@protonmail.com.
"Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum.” (Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, more obscure than public opinion, and more deceptive than the whole political system.)
~ Marcus Tullius Cicero
The news media is a critical check on the powerful, serving as a watchdog to hold elected officials and other public figures accountable for their actions. The media was first called the fourth estate in 1821 by Edmund Burke, who wanted to point out the power of the press. The press plays a crucial role in providing citizens with access to information about what is happening in government and shining a light on corruption, abuse of power, and other forms of wrongdoing.
Judge ignoring so much, including parent alienation syndrome. Evil wife… sacrificing her children’s well being for selfish reasons.
Narcissistic abusers always use the court system to harm the other parent and their own children. Using their own children to further their agenda is common in custody evaluations and court hearings, especially when it comes to filing false contempt charges and false police reports. Narcissistic abusers love to harm their victims, including their own children. They don't follow court orders, they don't co-parent, they don't foster their own children's relationship with the other parent, and they use, abuse, and neglect their own children's mental, emotional, and psychological needs. It's easy to spot a narcissist abuser in court and outside of court, due to their own patterns of behaviors. Any parent that loves their children and wants the best life has to offer for their children, will co-parent despite a non ambical
divorce. These parents understand that their divorce isn't the children's fault and will co-parent to ensure the best life for the sake of their children.
Narcissistic abusers are more focused on retaliation and using the court system, and their own children to harm their victims.
This mother needs to be arrested and placed behind bars to protect these innocent children from continued child abuse, mental abuse, emotional abuse, and psychological abuse.