Matthew Bernard has filed a lawsuit against the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), along with its representatives Kristine Ford and David Matlock, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana on January 31, 2025. Bernard accuses the defendants of unlawfully freezing his assets without due process or legal authority.
The case centers around child support obligations that Bernard claims were wrongfully imposed by DCFS through coercive means. He asserts that these obligations led to the unauthorized freezing of $64,758.55 from his account by DCFS agents Ford and Matlock. According to Bernard, this action was taken without a court order or lawful contract granting such authority. In December 2022 and January 2023, Bernard sought information from DCFS regarding these obligations but received no response, leading him to believe his allegations are truthful under common-law principles.
Bernard's complaint outlines numerous accusations against Ford, Matlock, and DCFS, including violation of due process rights, abuse of authority, official misconduct, and conspiracy among others. He alleges that their actions deprived him of his constitutional rights and caused significant harm to him and his family. Bernard is seeking a jury trial to address these grievances and demands the removal of the asset freeze along with $2 million in damages.
Representing himself in this common-law suit, Matthew Bernard emphasizes that he does not consent to it being classified as a civil action subject to federal procedural rules. He insists on a trial presided over by an Article III judge rather than a magistrate. The case is identified as Case No. 3:25-cv-00100-RLB-EWD.