Aunt K undergoes surgery days before the hearing. Steve's attorneys request remote appearance at a visitation conference. At the last minute — the afternoon before — the court denies the request. Steve books the next available flight, 6:20 the next morning. When he arrives, Judge Horowitz has already entered a default — granting permanent custody and a two-year order of protection at what was scheduled as a status conference. Fourteen months later, his motion to vacate is still pending when the third judge recuses.
The case passes to a fourth judge. At a twenty-three-minute video appearance Schauer vacates the Horowitz default on consent and issues mirroring stay-away orders — one against each party — rather than address the California restraining order against Tara. The poisoner and the poisoned are treated as symmetrical threats, and neither petition is heard. Steve tells the court a permanent temporary order does not give him a chance to face his accuser. The court tells him he is muddying the record.
Jennifer Jackman resigns as Attorney for the Child without explanation. Her replacement files a motion to suppress all blog content. A visitation conference is converted into a gag order hearing. Steve is declared in default. Judge Schauer orders the blog removed — every post, every photograph, every grandmother's letter. The words are precise. Erase. Deactivate. Delete.