The Case for Accountability: Why Judges Like Susan Steinhauer Must Not Be Above the Law

What happened in my custody case should never happen to another mother—or any parent—ever again.

This is not just my story. This is a systemic failure.

From the Bench to the Law Firm: A Judge’s Quiet Conflict of Interest

Susan Steinhauer, former Summit County Domestic Relations Judge, oversaw the most traumatic and pivotal proceedings of my life. In an unannounced move, she hijacked a scheduled one-hour emergency hearing and turned it into a surprise all-day custody trial, during which the opposing counsel showed up prepared with eight witnesses-including two police officers who testified in my favor and teachers who testified in my favor. I, the mother of the children and their primary caregiver, had no prior notice. No opportunity to prepare. No due process.

Eighteen days later, Judge Steinhauer stripped me of custody of my children—not because I was proven unfit, not because the father had a better record (in fact, he had a long-documented history of abuse, addiction, and mental instability), but because I had expressed a desire to one day live near a beach. That was enough for her to classify me as a flight risk .

And then, she left the bench.

But she didn’t disappear into retirement. She reemerged—as a partner at Roderick Linton Belfance LLP, the very law firm that represented the opposing party in my case.

Yes. You read that right.

The judge who removed my children from my care joined the firm that benefited from her decision—within months of stepping down from the bench .

This is not just a conflict of interest. This is corruption hidden in plain sight.

A Judge Who Ignored Due Process

While sitting on the bench, Judge Steinhauer:

• Took over a scheduled Magistrate hearing without notice, converting it to a full-day trial with only one party prepared .

• Based her custody decision not on abuse allegations or facts, but on personal assumptions, such as my “desire to live near a beach,” which she used to justify removing my children .

• Signed a 28-page ruling that fundamentally altered the course of my life without a single verified claim of unfitness.

• Issued temporary custody orders in violation of local court rules for emergency hearings .

Later, when she recused herself, it was not due to conscience—but because her daughter danced at the same school where one of the opposing witnesses (the children’s grandmother) was employed. Even that conflict only came to light after we raised it .

And Then She Took a Job with the Winning Party’s Law Firm

On May 1, 2023, Judge Susan Steinhauer began employment at Roderick Linton Belfance LLP—the law firm that represented the father of my children. No timely disclosures were made. No “screening protocol” was filed until 37 days later. Her notice, when it finally appeared in court, was generic and vague, offering no transparency about the circumstances or prior employment discussions .

Why Judicial Immunity Must End

Judges are entrusted with enormous power—power over families, children, lives. And yet, in the United States, judges operate under the protection of judicial immunity, shielding them from personal liability, even when their conduct is negligent, biased, or unethical.

That must change.

Judicial immunity should not mean impunity. When judges violate due process, abuse discretion, or show clear favoritism that leads to the destruction of a family, they must be held accountable like any other public servant. There should be:

• Mandatory disclosure of future employment with firms involved in their courtroom decisions.

• Strict recusal standards—not just after exposure but before harm is done.

• Elimination of absolute immunity when constitutional rights are violated.

• Third-party citizen review boards for all judicial conduct complaints.

What You Can Do

I urge you—if you’re reading this and feel outraged, don’t stop at anger. Transform it into action:

• Contact your state representative. Ask for legislation to repeal judicial immunity and create transparency laws for post-bench employment.

• Share this story. Shine light where the system thrives in darkness.

• Stand with parents like me. We are not victims. We are survivors of systemic injustice—and we are speaking out so no child is ever torn from their safe parent again without cause.

This is Bigger Than Me

The actions of Judge Susan Steinhauer are not just a personal betrayal—they are a symbol of a judiciary that has lost sight of its duty to protect. My children were not safeguarded. My voice was not heard. But I will not be silenced.

Because what happened in Summit County could happen to any parent, anywhere.

Until we change the system, we are all vulnerable.