Here's another story I have about a deadbeat parent. For privacy purposes, I will call him "Dave". Dave has fathered seven children with seven different women over the past 12 years. Two of the children he does not know and has no intention of being a part of their lives.
He does not like to work. His longest job lasted about 10 months, and his shortest lasted just a few days. He either quits because he "doesn't like the job," or he gets fired for calling in "sick" too much. Most of the time, he is not working at all.
He has four child support orders. He has never wanted to pay support. He only pays when there is a wage withholding order, and he jumps from job to job to get out of that. The child support orders are not unreasonable amounts, averaging $20 each. Now that he has these four child support orders he claims he cannot pay them because he has too many children. But he did not pay support when he had only one child support order. He did not pay when he had only two child support orders. The same judge has been handling his case for many years. The only thing he does is order wage withholding, which only works when Dave has a job.
If I was the judge, I would tell this man, "I see the game you are playing. I don't care how many children you have. You decided to have all of these children, and it is your job to do whatever it takes to take care of them. If you have to work three jobs to do that, then that is what you will do. I am not lowering your support because your record shows you just don't want to pay support. These children did not get to pick their father. I will not let you shirk your duty to them. If you do not pay the support as ordered, you will go to jail. I will also order you to labor picking up trash along the county roads wearing a pink jumpsuit that says 'Child Support Evader' on it. If you do not want everyone to see you doing this, I suggest you find yourself a job, or two if you have to, and start paying what I ordered."
This is just one of the many problems with child support in our state. I am also addressing visitation problems in my petition. If you have a story you would like to tell me, or if you are someone who would like to help, please write to me by e-mail 79trm@comcast.net or by mail 4818 S. Scott Rd., Claypool, IN 46510.
A wonderful woman I have never met set up a group on Facebook for us. It is called "Fix the System: Child Support/Visitation Petition". This petition will also merge with other petitions across the country because it is a national problem. Get fired up. We can do this.
