Judge arrested

[olanna]

But there isn't any money in visitation...it's not a tangible asset.  

First thing that needs to go away is the title Non-custodial parent.  If you are one, you are automatically a potential deadbeat, with a wage garnishment and a stamp of a second class citizen.

Secondly, there needs to be a cap on the amount awarded for Child support that equals the SSI benefits the feds give to kids. IOW, if the feds say that a child can get $464 a month until the day they turn 18 because Dad or Mom is dead, why can the state say that same child needs $1400??? It just doesn't make a bit of sense. If there was cap on CS and everyone knew that was it, I can imagine there would be less divorces, less battles in court and more equally shared custody arrangements.

But then, we have to think of the lawyers, don't we? We have to wonder how the laywers would make a living, if there weren't the millions of billable hours for divorce and custody disputes. It's a racket.  With one of every two marriages ending in divorce, it's a profitable market.  

But I digress. Back to your original comment...

Until there is a tangible asset for the courts to make money on enforcing visitation, I fear it is a pipedream. The courts aren't really concerned about the children..they are concerned about the law and state funds.

[cathy]

Sorry - but just like it isn't right to label all dads as deadbeats because of the few that don't pay, it isn't fair to judge ALL judges in a state based on your dealings with one or two.  I'm sure there are at least some judges in SC that are reasonable and fair.

We are in NC and had a fantastic judge that didn't favor the mother - and he ordered her to pay child support!  Now, I'm sure there are lots of people in NC that have had judges that weren't fair - but I can definitely say that not all judges in NC are like that.

[olanna]

I never said anything about all judges in SC being bad...I said judges in SC have the power to withhold visitation for arrears.  I never said all of them exercise that right....I pointed out they can.

Please don't add words to my post that just aren't there.

[cathy]

Are you saying that judges have the legal authority to do this in SC???  I misunderstood and thought you meant that the judge you had did this illegally - which was along the lines of this string of posts.

Apologizes if that is the case - - - - and btw, I did read your post!

[olanna]

doesn't mean it isn't a gross misuse of the power granted them because they are a judge.

:)

[cathy]

I didn't know that it was a legal sanctioned thing - I always thought you just got a really shitty judge.

Damn - now THAT sucks!

[c_alexander]

This is what I am talking about. These judges and lawmakers and such need to be held accountable for their decisions. I firmly believe that their decisions would be much more "equal" if it were their own children that were being taken away. How on Earth these judges who take an oath to uphold our consititutional rights can sit there are tell us when we can see our own children and make us pay money to have someone else raise them. It is beyond ridiculous and absurd...it is simply fantasy.

There was one other instance in history that comes to mind in which such corruption, abuse of power and idiocy were as abundent as they are today. The people of this time period however raised forht and said "ENOUGH!" and overthrew those who had made their lives unbearable. It was the French revolution. If our government does not uphold its promise to provide us with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness I forsee history repeating itself. They all have lost touch with reality and the common man.