Legislative Blueprint
The Family Court Reform Bill Stack.
Nine bills. One coherent stack. Each one written to be enacted state by state — together, they restore fairness, transparency, and accountability in family court and protect the children the system was built for. Every bill below has its own page with the full summary, key provisions, and a ready-to-send legislator support letter.
Bill stack developed and championed by advocate Robert Garza and allied reformers. Summaries here are written for Ghost Dads Media readers and are not legal advice.
Overview — the nine bills at a glance
The Bill Stack is designed to be read together. Each bill addresses a distinct failure point in family court — from the presumption a case starts with, to how orders are enforced, to how proceedings are recorded, to how alienators are held accountable. Jump to any bill below, or scroll for the full card view.
- 01A New Start at Equality— Equal Custody for All
- 02Time Taken, Time Back— Deter False Allegations
- 03Three Strikes— Accountability in Family Court
- 04Justice Delayed is Justice Denied— Timely Resolution for Families
- 05Cameras in the Courtroom— Transparency and Accountability
- 06Child Support Dual Calculation Reform— Fair Support for All Families
- 07The Litigant Access and Economy Act— Affordable Justice for All
- 08Appealability of Temporary Orders— Protecting Due Process Rights
- 09Reimbursement of Fees and Costs— Accountability for Parental Alienation
Read each bill
A New Start at Equality
Equal Custody for All
Establishes equal custody as the starting point so every child benefits from both fit, willing parents.
Read the bill →APPENDIX 02Time Taken, Time Back
Deter False Allegations
Automatically restores parenting time lost to unsubstantiated investigations or false allegations.
Read the bill →APPENDIX 03Three Strikes
Accountability in Family Court
Escalating penalties for repeat custody-order violations — misdemeanor, misdemeanor, felony.
Read the bill →APPENDIX 04Justice Delayed is Justice Denied
Timely Resolution for Families
Requires family court judges to issue rulings within 10 business days of a hearing, with written justification for any extension.
Read the bill →APPENDIX 05Cameras in the Courtroom
Transparency and Accountability
Mandatory audio and video recording of all family court proceedings, including off-the-record moments.
Read the bill →APPENDIX 06Child Support Dual Calculation Reform
Fair Support for All Families
Modernizes child support for shared parenting by requiring dual-calculation offsets based on actual overnight parenting time.
Read the bill →APPENDIX 07The Litigant Access and Economy Act
Affordable Justice for All
Guarantees a presumptive right to appear remotely in non-evidentiary family court hearings.
Read the bill →APPENDIX 08Appealability of Temporary Orders
Protecting Due Process Rights
Creates a statutory right to appeal temporary custody, visitation, and support orders on an expedited basis.
Read the bill →APPENDIX 09Reimbursement of Fees and Costs
Accountability for Parental Alienation
Requires courts to reimburse legal, therapy, and evaluator costs caused by proven parental alienation.
Read the bill →How to use this page
- 01
Pick a bill
Open the bill that fits the fight in your state right now. Each page stands on its own.
- 02
Personalize the letter
Copy the letter, add your name and one sentence about your family, and email it to your legislator.
- 03
Ask for a meeting
Request a 15–30 minute Zoom to walk them through the bill, the research, and the families it will help.