Father Claims Hancock County Custody Case “Rigged” by Local Influence
HANCOCK COUNTY, IN — What began as a Marion County father’s quest for equal parenting time has transformed into a high-stakes legal battle, exposing what he describes as a “web of collusion” and “systemic fraud” within the Hancock County court system.
Zachary, the father at the center of the dispute, claims his efforts to secure 50/50 custody of his young daughter have been blocked by a deep-rooted conflict of interest involving the child’s maternal grandmother, whom he identifies as the lead paralegal for the Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office.
According to Zachary, the uneven playing field was established the moment the paternity case was initiated in early 2022. He says that the grandmother’s influence permeates the local courthouse, allowing the mother to bypass standard accountability.
Records from a May 2022 Department of Child Services (DCS) investigation show that the mother initially admitted to using marijuana but refused two drug screens. It wasn’t until June 3, 2022—after admitting she needed time for the substance to leave her system—that she submitted a clean test. Zachary argues that in a typical case, such refusals would carry significant consequences, but in Hancock County, the mother faced none.
The Prosecutor’s Response
Hancock County Prosecutor Brent Eaton addressed these accusations directly, categorically denying any interference by his staff in the civil case.
“Any suggestion that an employee of the Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office has influenced this case is incorrect,” Eaton said in a formal statement. “The individual referenced works in our criminal division, which is completely separate from civil matters such as child support cases, and she has no role in the handling of this case. Further, this office never has any position on how parenting time may be allocated.”
Eaton further noted that out of an “abundance of caution,” his office requested the appointment of a special prosecutor in July 2025. “Once the special prosecutor was appointed, this office does not, will not, and cannot have any authority over the case,” Eaton added.
The Paper Trail: A Timeline of Denials
Despite the prosecutor’s insistence on separation, Zachary points to a procedural timeline he describes as a frantic effort to move the case away from local influence:
May–June 2025: Three separate Petitions for Contempt filed in Hancock County regarding violations of the parenting plan.
June–July 2025: Multiple Petitions for Change of Venue filed and subsequently stalled.
August 18, 2025: A Special Prosecutor from Shelby County is appointed.
August 26, 2025: A Special Judge is appointed.
Despite the appointment of a special judge from Johnson County, Zachary says the roadblocks only grew more complex. By late 2025, he was forced to file a Notice of Filing on December 29 because Hancock County officials had apparently failed to transmit his emergency motions to the Special Judge after ten days of silence.
Zachary’s skepticism of the “special” solution grew during his first hearing. He claims that after being advised by the special prosecutor to file for emergency custody, the judge used that filing to “stonewall” him, refusing to hear any other evidence of the mother’s apparent violations.
“The judge only wanted to focus on that motion alone… I just froze up a little bit,” Zachary said. “They were coming at me aggressively. I clammed up.”
Furthermore, Zachary points to a series of ignored filings in Johnson County, including motions to disqualify the mother’s counsel and petitions regarding the high cost of mediation, which he says reached $400 an hour.
The Ultimate Goal: 50/50 Fairness
Despite the mountain of paperwork and the financial strain, Zachary insists his motivation is not to “win” a fight, but to be a father.
“Honestly, I’d love to have just 50/50 custody of my daughter,” he said. “Even after all this, I don’t want to take my daughter away from her mother because that only hurts my daughter. But the court refuses to grant me a hearing over the constant violations of my rights.”
Zachary believes the system is designed to exhaust him financially and emotionally. For now, he continues to file motions in a cycle of litigation that he fears is “rigged” by those who know the system best.
