Michael Phillips
Bio
Michael Phillips | Rebuilder & Truth Teller
Writing raw, real stories about fatherhood, family court, trauma, disabilities, technology, sports, politics, and starting over.
Stories (58)
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Double Dipping Isn’t Just Maryland’s Problem
When Maryland’s Anne Arundel County Family Court allowed John Michel to step into the role of “de facto father” for Grant Reichert—while keeping Jeff Reichert on the hook for child support—it wasn’t just an outrageous one-off. It’s part of a wider, systemic practice that’s been quietly tolerated (and in some cases, encouraged) in family courts across the country.
By Michael Phillips5 months ago in Families
Back to School — But Locked Out
It’s that time of year again — the smell of sharpened pencils, the weight of backpacks, the awkward first-day-of-school pictures… unless you’re the non-custodial parent who isn’t allowed within arm’s reach of your child’s educational life.
By Michael Phillips5 months ago in Families
Paws of Peace
A high-conflict child custody battle is one of the most stressful and exhausting experiences a parent can face. Courtrooms are cold, lawyers are expensive, and the other parent may seem determined to drain every ounce of your energy and hope. In the middle of this storm, you need something—someone—who is steady, grounding, and always on your side.
By Michael Phillips5 months ago in Families
Surviving the Storm
If you’ve ever been in a high-conflict custody case, you already know: the court system will tell you to “focus on the child’s best interests,” but will rarely lift a finger to protect you from the relentless stress, trauma, and harassment that often come with it. The system likes to pretend it’s neutral, but in reality, it often rewards the more aggressive litigant, ignores blatant misconduct, and leaves you to bleed out emotionally, physically, and financially.
By Michael Phillips5 months ago in Families
Maryland’s Parent-Erasure Pattern
Introduction The recent Anne Arundel County ruling in Reichert v. Hornbeck—where Judge Elizabeth S. Morris granted John H. Michel de facto legal standing in a child custody matter without setting forth any factual basis or evidentiary support—reflects more than judicial oversight: it mirrors a growing trend in Maryland law that risks sidelining fit biological parents.
By Michael Phillips5 months ago in Families
13 Lessons I’ve Learned About Life In Hard Times - But Don’t Ever Seem to Get Right
Originally posted on Medium on May 30, 2021. Sometimes life is good, sometimes life is great, and sometimes life is just really $h!tty. I guess in a way that could be one of the 13 things on this list about what I have learned about life, but I’ll present it to you as an introductory bonus.
By Michael Phillips5 months ago in Humans
Medium’s War on Independent Journalists
It’s official: Medium has declared open season on investigative journalists. This week, I found myself staring at the same Orwellian message for the second time in a matter of months: “Your account has been suspended for violating Medium’s rules.” No explanation. No email. No conversation. No due process. Just a sudden digital execution—this time before I had even finished setting up my new account, let alone publish anything controversial.
By Michael Phillips5 months ago in Writers
The Judge Who’s Missing
Family court was designed to be the place where the most intimate disputes are handled with care, fairness, and a laser focus on the best interests of children. Instead, for too many parents, it’s become a war zone where truth is optional, procedure is a game, and the judge—who should be the last safeguard against injustice—acts more like a referee with one eye closed.
By Michael Phillips5 months ago in The Swamp
Rise of the Unaffiliated Voter
Maryland’s voter rolls tell a story politicians can’t afford to ignore. Since January 2025, Democrats have lost 9,024 registered voters statewide, Republicans have shed 1,924, and Unaffiliated/Other registrations have surged by 29,690.
By Michael Phillips5 months ago in The Swamp
Junk Food Bans Miss the Point
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently floated the idea of banning “junk food” from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), better known as food stamps. On paper, the move is pitched as a way to improve the health of low-income Americans. In reality, it’s a sound bite that ignores the structural problems baked into the SNAP system itself.
By Michael Phillips5 months ago in The Swamp
Spaghetti Districts and Stolen Representation
“If you can’t draw it with a ruler, it’s probably rigged.” That’s the unofficial motto voters should adopt when looking at today’s twisted, manipulated, politically carved voting districts. For all the talk about democracy and representation, America’s current district maps look more like abstract art than an expression of “one person, one vote.”
By Michael Phillips5 months ago in The Swamp
Bleeding a Father Dry
“They didn’t just try to take my kid—they tried to take everything.” — William Sewell South Carolina’s family courts weren’t designed for justice. They were designed to bleed you dry and leave you broken. No case illustrates this better than that of William Sewell—a father, a mechanic, a veteran—who walked into court seeking fairness and walked out with his life dismantled, piece by piece, dollar by dollar.
By Michael Phillips5 months ago in The Swamp
