About us
We record what family court does, because the record is the only check left.
Mission statement
Broken System Archives exists to expose corruption, bias, and unjust outcomes in Suits Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship across Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, Rockwall and Ellis counties. We publish case studies drawn from public filings, docket sheets, and firsthand courtroom observation. We train volunteers to sit in family court galleries, take structured notes, and make the conduct of those hearings harder to dismiss.
Our work is reporting, not legal advocacy. We do not represent parties, give legal advice, or file cases. We do believe that when a docket moves faster than the truth, somebody should write it down — and that a court watched by the public behaves differently than a court watched by no one.
What we believe
- A hearing that cannot be observed cannot be corrected.
- Identifying details of children should be protected; procedural facts should not.
- Patterns across many cases matter more than any single story.
- Courtroom watchers must be neutral, silent, and bound by the rules of the gallery.
- Publishing a record is not hostility to the court; it is respect for the process.
Two ways we do this
Case study reports
Detailed, source-linked documentation of individual SAPCR cases that show how bias, conflicts, and procedural shortcuts produce custody outcomes that fail the families involved.
Read the reports →Courtroom watch program
Trained volunteers observe public family court dockets, complete structured observation forms, and help us publish county-level scorecards on hearing quality and fairness.
Join the program →Get in touch
Have a tip or want to volunteer?
We read every message. If you have a case to document, a pattern to flag, or time to spend in a gallery, reach out and we will respond as quickly as we can. Parents with unsealed court orders can email them to us for review and possible publication.
casestudy@brokensystemarchives.org