lcionline Chapter 61 Another Path
Chapter 61 Another Path
"Good morning, Mr. Rossi. Larry has told me everything. You are very brave and kind, which is rare in this circle where even adults are only concerned with calculating their own interests."
Harry Finn looked to be in his sixties or seventies, with gray hair. He sat behind the table, his gaze behind his glasses sharp yet gentle.
His law firm's meeting room was enormous and meticulously decorated in an old-money East Coast style, with a dark mahogany conference table that gleamed with a warm luster and several vintage legal scrolls hanging on the walls.
Zeke, who hadn't slept all night, quickly spoke up: "Mr. Finn, thank you for being willing to see me so early, and thank you for your approval. I'd like to know which relevant laws Evelyn violated by forcing Judy to take nude photos? Can I gather relevant evidence and stop her from doing so through legal means?"
“I know you’re angry,” Harry Finn shook his head slightly. “It would be hard for anyone to accept seeing a mother treat her underage daughter like that. But I have to tell you the truth, this kind of thing is very common in Hollywood, and there’s no way to get through to the law.”
"It's not going to work?" Zik asked incredulously. "How is that possible? She forced a 16-year-old minor to take nude photos! This is clearly child abuse, and the law doesn't even cover this?"
"Well, you have to understand, the laws in the United States regarding the protection of minors are not perfect enough," Harry Fein explained. "It wasn't until the mid-1970s that the federal government and states began to pay attention to legislation related to child pornography. Congress passed the Child Protection Act in 1977, but that mainly targeted interstate commercial pornography trade."
"Currently, only six states in the country have enacted laws prohibiting the use of children in pornography, and unfortunately, California is not one of them."
"In other words, the 'artistic photos' that Evelyn mentioned are difficult to define as 'pornographic products' as long as they do not involve commercial transactions or enter the market. The law emphasizes evidence and, more importantly, the standards of definition. She can argue that it is 'artistic creation' for her daughter's acting career, and we have no legal basis to stop her."
Zik clenched his fists, mentally cursing: What the hell are these damn American laws for?!
This kind of mess is actually in a legal gray area, or even nearly legal.
Do those old men on Capitol Hill really have no morals or sense of shame at all?
Despite his anger, he knew that the loopholes in the law were not something he could change on his own.
He forced himself to calm down and continued the consultation with the questions he had prepared beforehand:
"Mr. Finn, can I stop this from the perspective of protecting children's rights? New York State law has relevant protective clauses for underage artists like myself. Are there similar regulations in California or at the federal level?"
The old man's fees were outrageously high, charging by the minute. Zik had already prepared all the questions he wanted to ask and didn't want to waste any time.
A flicker of surprise crossed Harry Finn's eyes, followed by an approving nod:
"You've already thought of things from a more comprehensive perspective than many adults, but the bad news is that it's equally impractical."
"The current child protection service system is based on the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974. Although I personally do not agree with their views, the mainstream legal concept is that 'family privacy is sacred and inviolable.'"
"Simply put, the judges and juries generally believed that as long as the parents didn't beat the child to death, it was a matter of parenting style. It's a private family matter that the law has no right to interfere with."
"Is there absolutely no chance?"
Fein shook his head, his tone tinged with helplessness.
"Almost none. I can already imagine how the judge would say: 'Child, this is a family matter, and the mother has the right to decide what is best for her daughter.' Mr. Rossi, our country still has a long way to go in protecting the rights of minors."
"I can't wait that long..." Zeke muttered to himself. "Can I ask the Ministry of Education for help or write a complaint letter or something? Judy is a student; shouldn't this fall under their jurisdiction?"
Upon hearing this question, Harry Finn's eyes showed even greater approval, but his words were still disappointing:
"Mr. Rossi, you may be mistaken. There is no such agency as the Department of Education in the United States. In 1867, Congress did briefly establish a 'Department of Education,' but it only existed for a year before being downgraded to the 'Office of Education' under the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, with its power significantly reduced. The fact that you even know this shows that you have indeed done a lot of preparation."
"Well, I'm quite interested in history, and I usually like to read related books," Qi Ke quickly explained.
"Mr. Fein, can the education office handle this matter?"
"The Office of Education has pitifully little power, and it's at the federal level, primarily responsible for the national education system and school management. Parents' 'career arrangements' for their children are simply not within its jurisdiction. Besides, they might not even be able to secure funding for public schools, let alone get involved in such private matters."
Hope dashed once again, and Zik mentally cursed: What kind of country is this?!
They shout slogans of democracy, freedom, and human rights all day long, but when you look at it, there isn't even a Ministry of Education. When you encounter such disgusting things, you can't even find an official agency to turn to for help!
He gritted his teeth and asked, "What about guardianship? Mr. Finn, can I help Judy apply for a change of guardianship? Evelyn isn't taking care of her at all; she's hurting her. She shouldn't have guardianship of Judy."
When it came to his old profession, Harry Finn leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming serious: "The issue of guardianship is more complicated than you think. First of all, you don't have the qualifications. You're just Judy's boyfriend, and you're still a minor yourself. You're neither her legal guardian nor a close relative, so you don't even have the qualifications to apply for a change of guardianship."
"Secondly, the core of the court's ruling on guardianship is 'what is in the best interests of the minor.' Although Evelyn's methods were extreme, she is Judy's biological mother and a legally licensed agent. She can provide Judy with entertainment resources and a comfortable life. In the court's view, this is 'the ability to raise a child.' What can you give Judy? A few hit songs? A temporarily safe place? That's far from enough."
"More importantly, Judy's father is still alive, right? When it comes to changing custody, the child's parents take precedence. Even if we can prove that Evelyn's methods were problematic, the court won't easily revoke her custody if her father doesn't come forward. This is the bottom line of the law and a fundamental principle of family law."
Zeke was speechless. Judy had said that her father was a bastard who abandoned his wife and children. He had never contacted them in all these years, nor had he given them a penny of child support. He had completely neglected her life and upbringing.
Would someone like that be willing to step forward and help Judy? He had no idea.
Harry Finn, seeing his dejected look, softened his tone again.
"In all my years of practice, I've handled countless family disputes and guardianship cases. I've seen relatives scheming against each other for property and parents who neglect their children, but I've never seen a child like you..."
"Even though I haven't even established myself yet, and even though I know this is incredibly difficult and could even get me into trouble, I still do everything I can to protect someone."
"But there's still nothing I can do, isn't there?" Zeke chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Maybe I should take Judy to a country with morals and laws, a country that can truly protect her, away from the hypocrisy and filth here."
"Zick, you're smart and responsible, which are your strengths, but they also make you impulsive. Since conventional custody battles aren't working, perhaps we can consider... another path."
"Another path?"