Free Mummy Where Are You? (Revised Edition, new) by Jeanne D'Olivier Page A

counsel and tell them to seek a further adjournment as I have another case in the morning.”  I was overwhelmed with relief and gratitude – there was something in this man’s voice that spoke of assuredness, determination and integrity.  It was a commanding voice – which I later learned came from a military background – but that was perfect.  Dan turned out to be a man of honesty, principles and military precision.   But most importantly when we eventually met him – he took one look at my son’s evidence and the few papers I had with me and said “One thing is clear – you have never had a voice and neither has your son.”  And for the first time, I felt we were about to have one.
                  Dan was a one man band lawyer.  He was old school – a large man with a gentle sense of humour, very polite, called me "Maam" and my father "Sir" and held an air of confidence and authority that could only command total respect.  I liked him immensely from the moment we shook hands and sat down in his small unpretentious office.   He was from another era, had no internet access, sometimes causing problems especially when we were trying to get information from the Island sent out quickly - and had one elderly secretary.    He charged fairly, was clearly principled and after reading M’s evidence he said “We must make sure you stay in America.  Get yourself as established as possible and plan to stay.”  
                  He looked at my jeans and T shirt with a critical eye – “And one more thing, get yourself some smart clothes and wear them at your contacts with M and in Court – I want you to present as the respectable woman you are.”   I nodded.  Of course back home I had suits, skirts, jackets and smart clothes, but I had never expected to need them when we packed to run.  I did as suggested and went straight to the shops and bought some smart trousers and a jacket.  
                  We went into Court again the following morning.   Louise had spoken to Dan and was under instruction to tell the Court we were now legally represented and seek another adjournment for him to come into Court where she explained a date would be set for the “Show Cause Hearing." This meant that the CAS would have to demonstrate why they had removed my son.   I had little knowledge then of the paperwork that had been sent to the CAS lawyer, a short, stocky, native American Indian woman with straight black hair, piercing black eyes and a hard cold expression.   She stared at me with open contempt and I wondered what lies had crossed the ocean  – that she could show such open hostility towards me. 
                  The Judge sounded faintly annoyed to hear I now had a lawyer, but she had no choice but to set a date for a Directions Hearing for the following week, when she would then give a date for the Show Cause Hearing.
                  When we came out of Court, Louise told me that two people had arrived from the Island and were in a side room at the Court, expecting to collect and return M.   I later discovered it was the Social Worker who had never met M or seen us together and had only met me once briefly before making the application take him from me – accusing me of emotional abuse and coaching- and the psychologist who had most recently been involved in the case.   He had originally been sympathetic to both M and I.  He had told me he was "a down to earth Lancashire man" and could not be swayed.  He said that forcing M to see his father was wrong and that if necessary we should take this all the way to the European Court of Human Rights.   At the time we had felt that he was a Godsend, he even suggested I should make a formal complaint against the educational psychologist who was anything but impartial and had supported M’s father to the hilt – bringing him to and from contact in her car and giving him lifts to the