Although it is a tragic story, the reporter gives us no idea as to where and when the events took place. I understand the need for anonymity, but at least the story should give the state and time frames. Is this happening in some extremely liberal jurisdiction, like California, or are we dealing with out of control bureaucrats in a more conservative state?
I've seen the same thing happen in Virginia, although close to DC. But the internet has made all kinds of disfunction viral. A family court judge in Iowa, Utah, Mississippi or Idaho is reading the same law journals and subscribed to the same law web sites as those in New York and California. Same with the professors at all law schools, the latter of which have been steadily discounting or even denouncing the Constitution and favoring case law; i.e. winning by any means possible.