Kansas Family Court Judge Paul Burmaster Named As Defendant In Protection Order Case For Alleged Online Stalking

(MENAFN- IssueWire)

Olathe, Kansas Jan 29, 2024 (Issuewire )
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A family court judge from the Johnson County District Court in Kansas has been named as a defendant in a protective order case, 24-CV00369. A hearing is scheduled for February 7th in courtroom M4 of the Tenth District Courthouse located in Olathe, Kansas. This civil action was brought by a pro se father of two daughters, against Judge Paul Burmaster. Burmaster is also named as a defendant in separate federal cases. The father also holds the Chief Judge of that same judiciary in his own federal civil suit of 2:23-CV02536. The father has placed large allegations of judicial retaliation that he has been experiencing that has directly hit and impacted his 2 daughters also, from Burmaster and Chief Judge Droege.

Kansas Judge Named in Protective Order Case as a Defendant - ProPublica Investigative Series

The father filed a petition for protection from stalking with the county court clerk on January 26, 2024, providing initial evidence that Judge Paul Burmaster has acted outside the scope of his role as a family court district judge. The precedent-setting U.S. Supreme Court case of Stump v. Sparkman 435 U.S 349 (1978) established that judges have immunity from civil lawsuits and all civil actions unless they acted in clear absence of jurisdiction. Representing himself, the father cites case records and bench notes indicating Judge Burmaster, who previously presided over his children's custody case, has engaged in online stalking of the fathers Facebook and other social media accounts.

Alongside categorized Stalking, this would also constitute a significant violation of the Kansas Code of Judicial Conduct Canon 2, Rule 2.9 regarding ex parte communication. Under Rule 2.9, a judge cannot independently investigate the facts of a case under their jurisdiction outside of official court proceedings. There is Prohibition against judges from accessing electronic media sources regarding parties in cases over which they preside. According to the father's filing, the judge made statements in court acknowledging viewing the father's social media accounts on October 18, 2023, and on one occasion in April 2023, the judge verified in court that he had used his administrative assistant to gather outside information about the father, which he then discussed during proceedings - actions not permitted under judicial conduct rules.

The father initiated the case of 24-CV00369 Escalante v. Burmaster, seeking a protective order for stalking against the family court judge. Judge Burmaster was removed as the presiding judge in the father's separate civil custody case, 18-CV03813, on November 16, 2023. These events have sparked significant debate as to why the judge has not been suspended by the Kansas Commission on Judicial Conduct, which does have ongoing inquiries into the judge. Domestic violence advocates in the state are arguing for the judge's immediate suspension. Further cause for concern is for the Kansas Commission, whom less than 100 days ago, let Judge Viar, of the federal judiciary, remain undisciplined for her haphazard subpoena issuance that caused a massive 1st amendment problem in Marion, KS, with the Marion Newspaper Company. That event tragically took the life of Joan Meyer in her home as authorities caused such distress, that it was too much to bear. These events in Kansas raise an alarm about who is above the Law when no one should be.

# Online Stalking # Protection Order Cases # Kansas Family Court # Cyberbullying Laws # Victim Support

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