NOTE: This piece was first published on TheFamilyCourtCircus.com.
By Richard Luthmann
Morris County, New Jersey’s legal system is a swamp of political favoritism, and at its center is Judge Peter A. Bogaard, a former NJ Governor Chris Christie-era appointee caught red-handed in a web of ex parte communications, conflicts of interest, and judicial misconduct.
The cases under his gavel don’t just demand his recusal—they require a full transfer out of Morris County to prevent further damage both for existing litigants and by Judge Bogaard.
The appearance of impropriety makes it impossible for Judge Bogaard to hear another case in Morris County and for anyone not to question whether it is a sham. This is particularly true for anyone with political connections.
The corruption is deep, leading straight to the power circles of Chris Christie and Senator Anthony Bucco.
JUDGE BOGAARD’S COURTROOM SCANDAL: A RIGGED GAME FROM THE START
Bogaard was not just ruling on cases—he was actively investigating them.
In a shocking February 2024 court proceeding, Bogaard openly admitted to contacting the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office – on Lincoln’s Birthday – about allegations concerning Monica Ciardi, a current NJ Family Court hostage.
The Great Emancipator is in tears.
Ciardi, one of many victims of Morris County Family Court corruption, faces 33 years in prison for simply posting about Bogaard’s “threats” on Facebook and making “false allegations” against an abuser, an ex-husband who also happens to be a Morris Plains, NJ, shooting instructor for the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and many local municipal units.
The Morris County Assignment Judge, Stuart Minkowitz, conveniently shipped her case to Essex County, where Bogaard’s allies could keep it under wraps. Sound familiar?
And let’s talk about Gia Devino—Bogaard’s “new” judicial secretary. She previously worked for Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, a Christie-Bucco loyalist.
This is how Morris County courts operate—stacking key positions with insiders who ensure the machine runs smoothly.
This appearance of impropriety is a blatant breach of judicial ethics. Judges are supposed to be neutral.
Instead, Bogaard operates as an arm of the prosecution, tipping the scales against one party.
According to the New Jersey Code of Judicial Conduct, Rule 2.9, “A judge shall not initiate, permit, or consider ex parte communications.”
Yet, Bogaard did precisely that. He sought private conversations to investigate accusations behind closed doors. This is corruption, plain and simple.
And this isn’t an isolated incident. Bogaard’s ties to the Christie-Bucco machine run deep. His wife, Laurie Bogaard, has been a major political supporter of many whose cases her husband handled, including Morris County politicos Brad Badal and Charles Alfano.
That’s a conflict of interest that should have gotten Judge Bogaard removed immediately. But not in the New Jersey swamp.
JUDGE BOGAARD’S COURTROOM SCANDAL: CHRISTIE, BUCCO, AND THE MORRIS COUNTY JUDICIAL PLAYBOOK
The pattern is clear if you follow the money and the dinner invitations.
The Morris County Republican elite, led by Chris Christie and Senator Anthony Bucco, have stacked the judiciary with loyalists.
These judges don’t just rule on cases—they protect the political machine.
Bogaard was handpicked by Christie in 2013, and his influence hasn’t stopped since.
When Bogaard is finally forced to recuse himself, who replaces him? Another political appointee—Judge Caroline Oliviera.
Her appointment was pushed through in a secretive, closed-door Senate Judiciary Committee meeting. The timing? Suspiciously perfect. Within months of the appointment, she was conveniently assigned to take over Judge Bogaard’s “problem” cases.
Morris County’s legal system is not a court—it’s a syndicate.
JUDGE BOGAARD’S COURTROOM SCANDAL: THE TRANSCRIPTS AND DOCUMENTS REVEAL EVERYTHING
A survey of cases before Judge Bogaard reveals textbook examples of how New Jersey’s family courts are rigged.
🔹 Judge Bogaard demanded the names of sex crimes investigators looking into an alleged abuser husband, a clear attempt to interfere in a criminal prosecution in more than one case.
🔹 Bogaard’s wife hosted political events for litigants; Bogaard would not recuse.
🔹 Bogaard refused to allow a protective mother to access joint escrow funds while her ex-husband was permitted to use the same funds to hire six lawyers.
🔹 Documents submitted in court by the politically connected litigants were proven to be forgeries, yet the judge ignored the evidence and offered no basis for why.
🔹 Judicial bias is so overwhelming that even multiple law firms have filed complaints.
Morris County family courts cannot handle politically connected cases. They must be transferred out, but they never are, even after litigants make request after request after request.
This outlet will begin detailing this corruption for the readership.
WHY THESE CASES MUST BE MOVED OUT OF MORRIS COUNTY
Non-connected litigants in politically connected cases cannot get justice in Morris County. Why?:
Bogaard’s courtroom is compromised. His ex parte communications, political entanglements, and favoritism toward local power players have obliterated due process.
The Morris County legal machine is corrupt. Bogaard, Oliviera, Bucco, and Christie have turned Family Court into a political battlefield where only select insiders win.
The public trust in the judiciary is at stake. When judges take orders from political operatives, the entire system collapses.
The solution?:
Immediately remove Judge Bogaard from any case involving past or current political figures.
Transfer politically connected cases out of Morris County.
Immediately transfer Judge Bogaard out of Morris County.
Conduct a federal investigation into judicial misconduct.
There is precedent for such action. In neighboring New York State, Justice Sherri L. Eisenpress was removed from the Rockland County bench and now sits in neighboring Orange County, New York.
The impetus was a filed civil RICO lawsuit against Eisenpress, a “family court horror show.”
“This is unprecedented,” renowned Private Investigator Manuel Gomez said. “The evidence is overwhelming.”
Gomez, a retired U.S. Army counterintelligence officer turned private investigator, is no stranger to confronting corruption. Through his firm, Black Ops Private Investigators, he has uncovered fraud, exposed abuse of power, and sought justice for victims.
Gomez spent twelve hours working with his client to help craft a detailed Civil RICO complaint, which includes over 300 pages of evidence documenting Eisenpress’s alleged misconduct.
“Pictures don’t lie,” Gomez said. “We’ve documented everything—from injuries to financial fraud. This case is airtight.”
JUDGE BOGAARD’S COURTROOM SCANDAL: NJ JUDICIAL RECKONING IS LONG OVERDUE
Morris County’s court system isn’t broken—it’s rigged.
Judge Peter Bogaard’s courtroom is not a place of justice. It’s a protection racket for the politically connected.
If New Jersey’s judiciary wants to salvage its reputation, it must act now.
Immediately remove Judge Bogaard from any case involving past or current political figures, especially allies.
Transfer politically connected cases out of Morris County.
Immediately transfer Judge Bogaard out of Morris County.
Conduct a federal investigation into judicial misconduct.
This is not just about one corrupt judge. This is about saving the integrity of New Jersey’s legal system before it’s too late.
A federal RICO case in the New York model may already be coming.
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