[qingcharles]

It's just not family courts. Judges absolutely loathe anyone who appears without counsel, mostly because they've been burned with too many sovcits and other nonsense that jams up the systems. So, even if you are competent they will try everything they can to shut you down and won't give you much time of day versus the party with the lawyers.

[watwut]

There is also the possibility that the person in question aggravated the judge by acting in a bonkers way. I have totally seen that - someone not understanding rules and procedures making all the wrong moves and then framing themselves as unfair victim.