'''Jean Elizabeth Morgan''', M.D., Ph.D. (born [[1947]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], [[USA]]) is a [[plastic surgeon]] who was involved in a widely publicized and long-running [[child custody]] case over her daughter Hilary. She claimed that the father, Dr. Eric A. Foretich, an oral surgeon, had sexually abused Hilary. During the course of the case, she was incarcerated for two years, and following her release from prison she went into hiding overseas; the [[Congress of the United States|United States Congress]] passed two laws because of this case alone.
== Early career ==
Morgan, as a surgeon in [[Washington, D.C.]], in [[1980]] published a successful book titled ''The Making of a Woman Surgeon'', which recounted the rigors of her training in this predominantly male profession.
The publication of the book was covered by ''[[Reader's Digest]]'' and ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' magazines. Morgan wrote the ''Reader's Digest'' article, "Give the Lady a Knife"; the title was presented as having been said by a male surgeon. The ''People'' article was titled "Elizabeth Morgan says she learned women surgeons don't have to be as good as men—they have to be better."
== The Hilary Morgan case ==
Morgan first met Foretich in Fairfax Hospital in [[Kirkland, Washington]], where both were on the staff. Foretich's second marriage was breaking up at the time; after dating Foretich for a few months, Morgan became pregnant, and the two flew to [[Haiti]] and were married.
Morgan left Foretich before she came to term; their daughter Hilary was born [[August 21]], [[1982]], and the two were divorced in late 1982. In [[1984]], after a legal battle, Morgan was awarded custody of the child; Foretich had visitation rights on vacations and alternating weekends.
It was after visitations in early [[1985]], when Hilary was 2½ years old, that Morgan said her daughter gave the first verbal indications that she had been abused. Eventually, Morgan also accused both of Foretich's parents of sexually assaulting Hilary. After a trial, a jury found in favor of Foretich and his parents.
=== Prison ===
After many other inconclusive motions and appeals, the presiding judge, [[Herbert B. Dixon Jr.]], in [[1987]] ordered unsupervised visitation for Foretich. Morgan then sent Hilary into hiding with her parents. Judge Dixon then found Morgan to be in [[contempt of court]] and sent her to prison.
For the next two years, Morgan's incarceration received a great deal of publicity. In much of it she was portrayed as a model prisoner, and a woman of fortitude. She also convinced many famous and influential people, including [[Charles Colson|Chuck Colson]] that abuse had indeed occurred.
=== Congressional action and flight ===
Rep. [[Frank Rudolph Wolf]] sponsored, and the U.S. Congress passed, the District of Columbia Civil Contempt Imprisonment Limitation Act of 1989, a bill that limited to twelve months the time that a person can be jailed on civil contempt charges in custody cases in Washington, D.C. (which has limited [[District of Columbia home rule|home rule]]).
As example of those supporting Morgan was Prof. Doug Rendleman of [[Washington and Lee University]] School of Law, who said that although Congress had engaged in "legislative adjudication," it was proper for Congress to get involved in the Morgan case, because the [[Separation of powers|checks and balances]] within the judicial system had, in essence, failed. On the other hand, he was disappointed by the lack of preparation before the deliberative process commenced, and the narrowness of the resulting law.
On [[September 25]], [[1989]], Morgan was released from prison; she then retrieved her passport from the D.C. Superior Court, and went into hiding. It turned out that Morgan, her parents, and Hilary had fled the country, and were in [[New Zealand]], where they were located in February [[1990]] by a [[private investigator]] hired by Foretich. New Zealand chose to maintain the [[status quo]]. At around this time, Hilary's name was changed to Ellen.
=== The Elizabeth Morgan Act ===
: ''See main article at [[Elizabeth Morgan Act]]
The Act allows Morgan and Ellen return to the U.S. without having to share custody with Foretich. It was later overturned, but by that time, Ellen was no longer a minor.
== The case in popular culture ==
In [[1992]], a made-for-television movie about this story titled ''A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story'' was filmed and aired nationally. Actress [[Bonnie Bedelia]] played the part of Morgan. [[Patricia Neal]] played Morgan's mother, Antonia. Many consider it to be [[Prejudice (law)|prejudicial]] in Morgan's favor.
== Recent career ==
Morgan now practises medicine back in the United States in the Washington, D.C. area, having also gained a degree in [[psychology]]. She operates a medical practice, and offers herself as a "beacon of hope" that protective parents can free their children from harm.
Since her return from New Zealand, Morgan has made many public appearances and speeches, focusing on custody issues. An organization called The Friends of Elizabeth Morgan (which later changed its name to ARCH) was on watchlists of groups that monitor child custody issues.
=== The Elsa Newman case ===
In [[2002]], she was involved as a consultant in another controversial child custody case.
Elsa Newman, an attorney, was in a custody fight with her husband, Arlen Slobodow. Concerned that Newman represented a flight risk, Judge [[S. Michael Pincus]] said, "I don't want another Elizabeth Morgan case in my courtroom." According to an online Washingtonian article [http://www.washingtonian.com/people/deadlytriangle.html], Newman did in fact consult Morgan, whose emailed advice was, "I don't have the answers. I only know the choices, which are grim: Give in and accept the incest, kill the abuser, or grab the kids and run." On [[January 7]], [[2002]], Newman's close friend, Foreign Service officer Margery Lemb Landry, wearing a ski mask, broke into Slobodow's home while he was sleeping, and with the children present, shot him twice in the leg. Just before shooting him, Landry had planted [[child pornography]] in Slobodow's home.
Slobodow did survive; Landry pleaded guilty to attempted [[murder]] and was sentenced to a twenty-year prison term. Newman was convicted of [[conspiracy]] in a jury trail, and also received a twenty-year sentence. After their arrests, neither was granted [[bail]]. Morgan supported Newman's release before her conviction.
=== Mention in a similar case ===
On his [[July 5]], [[2004]] radio show, [[Larry King]] made a reference to Morgan in a discussion with New York socialite [[Bridget Marks]] about her ongoing and public custody case. King cited Morgan as a famous surgeon and [[Harvard]] graduate who ran from the jurisdiction of a "[[rogue]] judge" (Marks' term), but Marks, who had her lawyer present, demurred, saying, "No, never. I believe that the [[appellate court|legal system]] will correct itself."
Although Marks had been found by the court to have lied in her claims of incest, and was punished with a transfer of custody to her spouse, on [[March 31]], [[2005]] she regained custody.
== Books and articles ==
* ''The Making of a Woman Surgeon'' (Putnam Publishing Group, 1980) ISBN 039912361X.
* "Give the Lady a Knife" (''Reader's Digest'', June 1980)
* ''Solo Practice'' (Berkley Pub. Group, 1982; reprinted 1984) ISBN 0425059715.
* ''Custody: A True Story'' (Boston: Little, Brown, 1986) ISBN 0316582948
* ''The Complete Book of Cosmetic Surgery: A Candid Guide for Men, Women, and Teens'' (Warner Books, 1988) ISBN 0446513709.
== Biographies ==
* ''Hilary's Trial: The Elizabeth Morgan Case and the Betrayal of Our Children by America's Legal System''. Jonathan Groner (Simon and Schuster, 1992) ISBN 0671691767.
*{{imdb title|id=0104920|title=A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story}}
== External links ==
*[http://www.drelizabethmorgan.com/ Web site of Morgan's practice]
**[http://www.drelizabethmorgan.com/pages/cv.html Dr. Morgan's curriculum vitae]
*[http://www.washingtonian.com/people/deadlytriangle.html Deadly Triangle] Online Washingtonian 06/01/02
[[Category:1947 births|Morgan, Elizabeth]]
[[Category:American physicians|Morgan, Elizabeth]]
[[Category:American surgeons|Morgan, Elizabeth]]
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