Greetings all,
I stumbled across NADAD and was excited to finally find a positive Father's organization to join on the internet. I hope I can become a proactive member and help my fellow peers any possible way I can. I am fed up with the way things are going for families in Ontario especially since Dalton McGuinty took office.

I have many years dealing with the family courts, the FRO and am very tired of seeing fathers taking their lives and leaving their children without their dads.

I hope that by joining NADAD my voice will make yours a little louder. Anyways here is my story.....

My name is Ron Cooper, I am 34 years old and I am a father of four beautiful and intelligent children from 2 different relationships. My oldest is from a brief and emotional abusive relationship in college and the remain three are from my former wife. 2 boys age 13,10 and 2 girls age 9 and 7.

I have been back and forth to court on several occasions regarding my oldest son and I was alienated from him for six years on false information provided.

I feel like I have been robbed the opportunity to raise my son for those years and he had been denied the right to grow up with his siblings. My marriage had failed due to the stresses caused by this matter along with hardships suffered from the FRO.

I was a victim in the courts by bias judges that do not think for themselves but only refer to case law. None of my evidence and facts given were taken as truth by the family psychologist and everything was taken as gold to my sons mother.

My wife and I were separated in fall 2004 when she cheated on me. For about a month up until we separated, many event took place. She was informed by a social worker for new mothers that if she left me, she would receive more money for being a single mom than with me. throughout that time she would constantly start arguments and drive me to depression.

The night we finally separated, she attacked me when I confronted her about her cheating. I defended myself (she was a heavy set woman of 250 lbs) and took my set of car keys from her hand and left. I went to my fathers house and called a friend to accompany me to my house to gather my belongings. When we had arrived the police were there waiting for me and arrested me for assault.

The police explained to me that it was policy to bring me in even though she wasn't hurt or shown any marking or bruising but I had trouble walking due to the numerous punches to the groin. There was also a witness that saw everything that happened in the parking lot when I tried to leave with the car and testified on my behalf.

I went to court and after 28 years of being a model citizen I had a criminal record. The judge found me guilty of taking my own keys from her hands and not the pushing and shoving that she had alleged. All I wanted to do was leave the situation. She was awarded my children, a restraining order, and social housing to entertain her boyfriend. I was awarded a criminal record, severe depression, the inability to see my three children for three years (due to conflicts with the restraining order and my probation order), a $160 domestic violence and anger management class that was order by the courts and a free room at Hotel Dad.

I found it rather funny that, while I was being arrested the police were apologizing to me because of the restraints they were under by the province and a "Good Job!" when I tried to defend myself on the assault charge. I proved self defense but was found guilty of taking my own personal property (keys)from her hands.

Since 2007, I have been an active father with my children and always practice positive parenting with my former wife and girlfriend (as difficult as it can be at times) for the best interest of my children. I also participate in a local Dads group that helps young fathers deal with parenting,relationships and other issues regarding family law and C.A.S.
Since 2004, I have vowed to dedicate myself to fairness in the court system and the FRO.