Lawyer questions why Kelly Sildaru's father kept custody of Henry

Estonian legal expert Kärt Pormeister has publicly questioned why Tõnis Sildaru was not stripped of custody of Henry, calling the case unusually clear-cut. Pormeister, known for her popular YouTube videos, described the situation in stark black-and-white terms. The case surrounds the troubled family story of Estonian skiing star Kelly Sildaru.

Estonian legal commentator and lawyer Kärt Pormeister has spoken out sharply about the custody arrangements surrounding Tõnis Sildaru and his son Henry, expressing disbelief that custody was not removed. Pormeister, widely known for her frank legal commentary on YouTube, did not mince words in her assessment of the case.

«Tõnis Sildaru is like a cartoon villain who squeezed everything out of his own daughter,» Pormeister said, describing the situation as one of the clearest-cut cases she has encountered in family law. She noted that complex family stories usually involve many grey areas — but argued this case was an exception.

A Case With No Grey Areas

According to Pormeister, the vast majority of difficult family law cases involve nuance and competing perspectives that make judicial decisions genuinely hard. In her view, the Sildaru case stands apart precisely because it lacks those ambiguities — making the outcome all the more puzzling to her.

The story ties into the broader saga surrounding Kelly Sildaru, Estonia's celebrated freeski prodigy, and her strained relationship with her father and former manager Tõnis Sildaru. The family's disputes have played out in public for years, drawing widespread attention in Estonia.

Pormeister's comments have reignited debate about how Estonian family courts handle custody cases involving children caught in the middle of highly contentious parental disputes — and whether the system adequately protects young people in such situations.