Tennessee Judge Gives Dying Father Chance to Defend Himself in Effort to Regain Custody of Children

Michael Brooks and sons. Photo courtesy of the family.

by Health Impact News/MedicalKidnap.com Staff

In a Facebook Live video Friday (April 7th), Michael Brooks gave an update on his case in Tennessee. He and Jamie had been in court that morning and were expecting Judge Clayburn Peeples to terminate their parental rights to their two sons. But, in an interesting turn of events, the couple left court that day with their parental rights still in place. Also, due to not having a lawyer present, Michael was given a 60-day window to prepare to present his case to the court again.

Michael Brooks is dying from Hepatitis C. His disease was under control while using medical cannabis, but he was forced to give up his medication due to Tennessee laws as he tried to meet requirements to get his children back from the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS).

See original story:

Terminally Ill Father Finds Cure in Cannabis Oil but Now on Death Bed After Complying with CPS to Get Children Back

Michael arrived on time, but when he walked into the courtroom, his case was already being heard. He said that social workers with DCS and the children’s Guardian ad litem (GAL) were “already there approaching the judge to hurry up and end this.” He said that they were saying that it “was in the best interests of the children to go ahead and lay this to rest, and let them stay where they are.”

Michael was surprised at the judge’s response:

The judge kind of smiled at the GAL and said, “Yeah, I’m pretty sure that is what you would like to see happen.”

Michael went on to say that Jamie was running late, and as a result, she was being accused of “wanton disregard” before the judge. Reportedly, the judge asked, “How can you call it wanton disregard, we don’t even know what’s happening with Ms. Williams?” The judge then went back to his chambers to wait for Jamie to arrive.

Michael explains:

He wasn’t going to let them move forward without the parents. He was really looking out for us.

When Jamie arrived five minutes late, she gave an explanation, and the court forgave her tardiness.

Michael did not have a lawyer, and the judge was aware of it. His previous lawyer had been court-appointed, and according to Michael, would not make himself available when Michael needed him. He said that the lawyer was not looking out for his best interests and did not understand the healing properties of cannabis. The lawyer’s blatant disregard for Michael was so egregious that Michael reported him to a professional board, and the complaint is now being reviewed.

Reportedly, in the courtroom on Friday, the GAL said that Michael not having a lawyer “was a tactic on his part to try and slow the process.”

According to Michael, the judge interjected and said:

Mr. Brooks needs a lawyer.

Michael went on to tell the judge that he had brought all of his files with him and was prepared to go pro se if needed. (Pro se is a Latin term meaning “for himself.” It is used when a person represents himself in court.) He told him:

Be patient with me, because I’m in the deep water. I don’t know how to swim.

The judge reportedly called the actions of DCS and GAL “draconian,” and would not allow the court to proceed without him having a lawyer present. The judge went into his chambers to make some phone calls to find Michael a lawyer. When the judge returned, he had the bailiff hand Michael the contact information for the attorney that he had secured for him.

Michael said:

Jamie and I were sitting there—they’re expressing their deep concern to go ahead and terminate our [parental] rights. And, the judge wouldn’t allow it. Within a few minutes, I saw these women—it was like a feeding frenzy of hellish hounds over my children. The judge said he just wasn’t going to sit there and watch that go down in his courtroom from a draconious [sic] group such as DCS. It’s amazing what happened!

Michael gave all the glory to God and said:

This was truly the best possible outcome for this day. We’ve been given 60 more days. This is nothing less than miraculous. To see integrity in the courtroom, for the first time in 19 months, was such a breath of fresh air. I feel so revitalized. It feels like two tons have been lifted off of me. I haven’t had this much hope in a long time. It feels good. It feels real good.

Michael ended the video thanking his supporters saying:

You guys are helping me to fight for my boys. They’ve got so much love. They’re the most fortunate children in the world—in the end—that they’ve had people praying, in more than a dozen languages, around the world, for their safe return home to their momma and daddy.

How You Can Help

Governor Bill Haslam may be reached at (615) 741-2001 or contacted here. His Facebook is here. His Twitter is here.

Representative Curtis Halford of House District 79 may be reached at (615) 741-7478 or contacted here.

Senator John Stevens of Senate District 24 may be reached at (615) 741-4576 or contacted here.

Michael’s GoFundMe called Saving the Brooks Brothers is here.

Gibson County Department of Children’s Services may be reached at (731) 855-7864.

Published on April 9, 2017

7 Comments

victuruslibertas April 11, 2017 at 6:58 pm - Reply

We did an interview with Michael last week. We are so happy for him to have more time to get a lawyer and be be heard by a fair judge! The GoFundMe link you have in the article does not go to the correct page, this is the correct one: https://www.gofundme.com/ygebjr-saving-the-brooks-…

If you would like to see the interview from last week, please see it here:

matt1016 April 11, 2017 at 6:58 pm - Reply

victuruslibertas said:

We did an interview with Michael last week. We are so happy for him to have more time to get a lawyer and be be heard by a fair judge! The GoFundMe link you have in the article does not go to the correct page, this is the correct one: https://www.gofundme.com/ygebjr-saving-the-brooks-…
If you would like to see the interview from last week, please see it here:

Thank you for the updated GoFundMe link

Mommy Love 7 April 10, 2017 at 4:09 pm - Reply

Keep fighting Michael. Miracles do happen!

The name Michael=Who is like El? Praise to Almighty YaH for His mercies.

anna April 10, 2017 at 11:53 am - Reply

I just pray that nothing happens, that would cause the judge to recuse himself. Because of him not playing ball the ball that DCS would like him to do so.

anna April 10, 2017 at 11:53 am - Reply

Geri-Pfeiffer said:

Drug testing is one of the primary tools that Child Protective Services uses to destroy families.


In fact I know that caseworker’s use false positives for methamphetimenes in a child’s feces to remove children from parents that have NEVER used the stuff. Apparently one of the chemicals in baby formula throws a false positive for meth.


In Michael’s case….caseworker’s(with the assistance of CASA) are pushing for termination because they have interested adopter’s got the children.


As we continue to raise awareness of the corruption in CPS….the pressure mounts for judges to act "within Constitutional Due Process". They know change is coming and they are now trying to cover their butts by actually presiding in the appropriate manner.


Make no mistake though….judges have worked in tandem with CPS for many years to destroy families. In my opinion they should still be held accountable for their crimes.


We can only hope that the new court appointed attorney will actually assist Michael instead of just standing there like most court appointed attorney’s do.









Yes, but it sounds like he has a good judge over the case and sounds like Michael will soon have his children back and the judge might be leniant as to let him return to the medical treatment he was on.

Geri Pfeiffer April 10, 2017 at 8:50 am - Reply

Drug testing is one of the primary tools that Child Protective Services uses to destroy families.

In fact I know that caseworker’s use false positives for methamphetimenes in a child’s feces to remove children from parents that have NEVER used the stuff. Apparently one of the chemicals in baby formula throws a false positive for meth.

In Michael’s case….caseworker’s(with the assistance of CASA) are pushing for termination because they have interested adopter’s got the children.

As we continue to raise awareness of the corruption in CPS….the pressure mounts for judges to act "within Constitutional Due Process". They know change is coming and they are now trying to cover their butts by actually presiding in the appropriate manner.

Make no mistake though….judges have worked in tandem with CPS for many years to destroy families. In my opinion they should still be held accountable for their crimes.

We can only hope that the new court appointed attorney will actually assist Michael instead of just standing there like most court appointed attorney’s do.

vcragain April 10, 2017 at 8:00 am - Reply

I’m wondering if it is possible for the father to take his cannabis ‘invisibly’? I think if this were me I would find a way to park the stuff somewhere (friend’s house?) & have it out of the house, so that I could take it also ‘out of the house’ – they do not need to know what he is ‘eating’ at a friend’s house do they ? This seems like such a ridiculous, invasive situation – they have no right to remove those children from their parents, this is unbelievable cruelty ! Some other way needs to be found for this Dad to take his drug of choice, and improve. What are they going to do – monitor his every move – in friend’s bathrooms ? Of course the argument is that he should not have the stuff in the house – isn’t that what they are basing their argument on – that is illegal drugs around children ! But if they are not ‘around the children’ – what can they do ? Does testing for drugs reveal cannabis use ? Why would they test anyone in the first place ? How did they ‘get’ to this father in the first place ?