By Richard Luthmann
Monica Ciardi, a New Jersey mother, faces a grim fate in Essex County Jail, her health rapidly declining. At the same time, her children remain in the custody of her allegedly abusive ex-husband. The Women’s Coalition News & Views covered the case.
After 35 days of initial incarceration, Ciardi was released. But that was short-lived, as she was taken into custody once again just weeks later on a panoply additional charges and allegations. The case was moved from rural Morris County to adjoining Essex County, the seat of Newark, New Jersey, one of America’s most troubled cities.
The matter remains unresolved, and Ciardi remains in lock-up. Her health is rapidly deteriorating.
New transcripts from Morris County Family Court reveal disturbing judicial bias. In February of last year, Morris County Judge Peter Bogaard publicly admitted that he helped orchestrate Ciardi’s repeated arrests, describing her as “crazy” in open court.
Confidential conversations with protected sources close to the New Jersey courts have revealed a systemic effort to vilify Ciardi. Their goal continues to be the improper protection of her ex-husband, a local firearms instructor with robust law enforcement ties, through corrupt judicial and prosecutorial means.
The revelations paint a damning picture of a New Jersey judicial system weaponized against a vulnerable mother, leaving her children in danger and her life hanging by a thread.
Family Court Judge Peter Bogaard’s Admissions
Court transcripts from February 2024 expose Judge Peter Bogaard’s active role in targeting Ciardi. During a hearing, Bogaard openly admitted to contacting Adult Protective Services (APS) following her January 2024 release from jail, citing her Facebook posts as justification.
“I mean, believe me, I have some cases where people are doing things that are crazy. I'm calling Adult Protective Services on a case right now. They're closed today for Lincoln's birthday, believe it or not, because of some stuff that the person posted and put out there.” Bogaard said, confirming his coordination to have Ciardi re-arrested for what he deemed “erratic online behavior.”
Bogaard went further, calling Ciardi “crazy” from the bench.
These remarks shocked observers. After reviewing the transcripts and hearing the recording, one legal analyst described Bogaard’s statements as “grossly inappropriate and indicative of bias.”
Conversations With Protected Sources
In a confidential interview, one source close to the case detailed how the judicial system collaborated with Ciardi’s ex-husband to suppress her voice and manipulate outcomes. According to the source, Ciardi’s ex-husband leveraged his connections as a firearms instructor and trainer in Morris Plains and elsewhere for local law enforcement to influence court decisions.
“This wasn’t a fair fight,” the source said. “Her ex-husband had the backing of law enforcement and the courts. It was a coordinated effort to discredit Monica and keep her children away from her.”
The source revealed that Bogaard’s intervention extended beyond the courtroom.
“Judge Bogaard didn’t just make rulings—he actively worked behind the scenes to escalate her situation,” they said. “He called APS, coordinated with prosecutors, and even suggested ways to frame her as mentally unstable.”
Dr. Jill Jones Soderman, Founder and Executive Director of the Foundation for the Child Victims of the Family Courts (fcvfc.org), described the revelations as “judicially-turbocharged DARVO.”
DARVO is a psychological abuse tactic in which the abuser denies wrongdoing, attacks the victim, and reverses roles. According to Soderman, the transcript and recording indicate the New Jersey judiciary’s behavior aided and abetted the DARVO abuse.
“The appearance of impropriety is that a connected individual has turned the tables, accusing his ex-wife of being ‘crazy’ because she dared express her free speech rights to hold bad actors accountable. His legal contacts allowed him to exploit the system, frustrating efforts to hold him accountable while Monica Ciardi is locked up in chains.”
Soderman says the Ciardi case isn’t just judicial misconduct. “It’s systemic abuse.”
A Mother’s Health Crisis
While the judicial system appears focused on silencing Ciardi, her physical health is rapidly deteriorating in Essex County Jail. Confined to a freezing cell with inadequate medical care, Ciardi has reportedly lost significant weight and suffered multiple panic attacks.
Her family and watchdog advocate Justice Jay have raised the alarms about her worsening condition, calling her detention “a death sentence.”
“This woman should not even be in jail,” a family source said. “Her only crime was criticizing a corrupt system. Now she’s paying for it with her life.”
Ciardi’s plight has drawn comparisons to other cases of judicial retaliation against women who challenge family courts. Advocates point to systemic failures that prioritize punitive measures over justice, leaving vulnerable parents to bear the brunt of a broken system.
Children in Danger?
While Ciardi fights for her life, her children remain in the custody of her ex-husband despite allegations of abuse. He has consistently denied the claims. However, critics argue that his connections to local law enforcement have shielded him from scrutiny.
“The safety of the children should be the court’s priority,” said a child advocacy expert. “Instead, we see a system that punishes the protective parent while enabling the alleged abuser.”
Bogaard’s statements in court further illustrate this dynamic. In one hearing, he dismissed Ciardi’s concerns about her ex-husband’s behavior. His comments have drawn backlash, with advocacy groups demanding an investigation into his conduct.
A Call for Reform
The Ciardi case has become a rallying cry for judicial reform, with advocates calling for greater oversight and accountability within New Jersey’s family courts. Critics argue that Bogaard’s actions exemplify a culture of impunity that allows judges to abuse their authority without consequence.
“This case is about more than one mother,” Soderman said. “It’s about a system that has lost its way—a system that punishes the innocent while protecting the powerful.”
Advocates are urging Governor Phil Murphy to intervene and launch an independent review of the judiciary’s handling of Ciardi’s case. They are also calling on federal authorities to investigate potential civil rights violations, citing Bogaard’s blatant bias and misuse of power.
A Life in the Balance
As Monica Ciardi’s health declines, her supporters are racing against time to secure her release. The transcripts, combined with investigative findings, provide a damning indictment of a New Jersey family court system that appears more interested in silencing dissent than delivering justice.
“Monica Ciardi is being punished for daring to speak out,” professional investigative journalist Luthmann said. “If we allow this to stand, we send a message that the First Amendment doesn’t apply in family court or New Jersey.”
With her life hanging in the balance and her children’s safety at stake, Ciardi’s case serves as a sobering reminder of the urgent need for reform in America’s family courts. Until then, her supporters vow to keep fighting—because silence, as Ciardi herself said, is consent.
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