In this episode of Politics of Justice, I dig into Chapters 30–38 of Judged, where the case stops being about facts and becomes about leverage. As pressure mounts, institutional self-protection begins to override truth, and the cost of dissent becomes clear. We see how credibility is managed, consequences are unevenly distributed, and silence is rewarded more than integrity. This episode explores how systems don’t need overt corruption to cause harm—only compliance, hierarchy, and the quiet expectation that some people absorb the damage so others can remain untouchable..

Judged is currently free on all platforms. This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.

About Politics of Justice: Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.

About Aime Austin: I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.

Find Me Online: Website: https://aimeaustin.com Substack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthor TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthor Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austin Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor

Listen & Subscribe: This series is also available in video form on YouTube.The Politics of Justice

OMG It’s Ines Johnson. When I saw her speak at a Romance Author Mastermind, I was inspired. She spoke on going from four to five figures a month by choosing a lane…and staying in it. This episode is sponsored by Audible. (Click my link for many great offers from Audible.) My recent audiobooks: At Midnight Comes the Cry and Greenwich Park.

Let’s chat. I have *so* many questions.

You can find Ines: Website/Blog: ineswrites.com Instagram: @ineswrites Facebook: inesjohnsonauthor

In chapters 25–29 of Judged, the child welfare system reveals its true mechanics. Foster children are subjected to relentless testing and layered diagnoses, while parents are handed case plans that require full compliance—and full-time availability. The result is a system that demands parents give up their jobs to prove fitness, quietly transforming “reunification” into an unattainable ideal rather than a genuine goal.

Judged is currently free on all platforms. This series uses the book as a springboard to talk about justice, race, family, and the systems that fail us—and the ones we fight to change.

About Politics of Justice: Politics of Justice is a long-form video series where I revisit my novels and unpack the personal history, legal realities, and systemic issues woven into the fiction. These conversations explore justice, race, family, power, and the cost of survival—on the page and in real life.

About Aime Austin: I’m Aime Austin, a legal thriller author and former trial lawyer. I write the Casey Cort and Nicole Long series, stories centered on women navigating broken systems and the moral complexity of justice. My work blends fiction, lived experience, and legal insight.

Find Me Online: Website: https://aimeaustin.com Substack: https://legalthrillerauthor.substack.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalthrillerauthor/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalthrillerauthor TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@legalthrillerauthor Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aime-austin Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/legalthrillerauthor

Listen & Subscribe: This series is also available in video form on YouTube.The Politics of Justice