Title: Denied! Failing Cordelia: Parental Love and Parental-state Theft In Los Angeles Juvenile Dependency Court. Book Three: Climbing the Broken Judicial Ladder
Author: Simon Cambridge
Publisher: Xlibris
ISBN: 978-1796037067
Pages: 1058
Genre: Non-Fiction/Memoir
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina

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One of the toughest jobs and greatest privileges a person can have is being a parent. As Julianne Moore once said, “Parenthood is a very, very intense experience.” Yet what happens when a parent is forced to fight for the right to raise their child? That is the question asked in the third book in a series, author Simon Cambridge’s book Denied! Failing Cordelia: Parental Love and Parental-state Theft In Los Angeles Juvenile Dependency Court. Book Three: Climbing the Broken Judicial Ladder.

This book tells the story of a parent who examines the painful process of the legal system in regards to the custody and welfare of their adoptive daughter Cordelia, a young girl with severe reactive attachment disorder. In this third book, the author explores the process of moving through the California Court of Appeals, and from there to the California Supreme Court, to fight for the right to raise their child and do what is truly best for them.

This was an incredibly detailed and powerful read. The author does a marvelous job of outlining the work that goes into the painful process of these court proceedings, from the complex emotions that go through the stages of the cases to the difficulty of finding the right lawyer and the failings of those who came before, and even the scrutiny a parent will face even to the most minute of details when in the midst of a court battle. Allegations, inept representation and high running emotions fueled the case presented by the author, and speaks to many parents out there who have either experienced this themselves or any parent who has ever feared losing custody of their child.

This is a book for anyone who enjoys memoirs, non-fiction reads and detailed analysis from a personal perspective and experience within the family and child welfare court system, stemming even to the state Supreme Court. The book does a magnificent job of both conveying the heartbreak and emotions fueling this case with the detailed analysis of each stage of the court proceedings and process, which gives others going through similar situations an opportunity to read and familiarize themselves with the potential trials they may face in their own cases.
This was a tragic, informative and relevant read that many will find valuable in their own lives. Exploring both the personal and emotional side of the court proceedings and the legal, complex nature of the court system overall and the mishandling of the court and various other institutions involved in the case, this book touches on a subject which is far too often ignored, and the author does a wonderful job of bringing it into the light for all to see.

If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy of Denied! Failing Cordelia: Parental Love and Parental-state Theft In Los Angeles Juvenile Dependency Court. Book Three: Climbing the Broken Judicial Ladder by Simon Cambridge today!