Judge Extorts $$$$ From Fathers at Christmas on Threat of Imprisonment

[Brent]

Judge Extorts Thousands of Dollars in Child Support "Debt" on Threat of Christmas Imprisonment


Court jails 14, collects thousands in child support
By Jessica Brown

HAMILTON — Scores of parents behind on their child support were forced to make a tough decision Wednesday — pay up or get locked up.

(They say 'parents', but it should read 'fathers'. I didn't see ANY mention of any mothers being threatened with lockup.  ...Brent)



It was a holiday ultimatum that resulted in the Butler County Juvenile Court collecting more than $21,000 in child support and sentencing 19 people to jail for failing to pay.

Judge David Niehaus calls it his "Christmas child support docket." He holds collection hearings just before the holidays to make the threat of jail more intimidating.

"We realized when they come in right before Christmas it's an extra incentive to pay," Niehaus said. "It's effective because we give them that choice," — pay what is owed or spend the holidays in jail.

Wednesday, 38 defendants were scheduled in court. Thirteen paid what they owed prior to their hearing or at the last minute. One father arrived with $1,500. Another man came with $1,000 to avoid jail.

Another seven parents never showed up, causing warrants to be issued for their arrest.

Nineteen others did not have enough money at their hearings and were sentenced. However, five ended up coming up with the money — almost $7,500 combined — before being booked in so their sentences were lifted.

One of them was a father, who is a convicted drug felon. He didn't have the money and "said he wasn't going to sell drugs to get it," Niehaus said. The man was sentenced to jail, but his girlfriend arrived during the lunch break to pay off his debt.

"It's effective," Niehaus said of the Christmas docket. "Our job is to collect the money. The bottom line is they produced children and aren't paying for it. (Now) these families are getting their money."

There are some sad stories though, forcing the Niehaus to take a no-nonsense approach.

One father who owed nearly $2,000 in child support said he had been helping his ailing mother with her struggling business while awaiting a workers' compensation settlement. The business was not profiting and the most he could get by Wednesday was about $500 — the rent money.

Niehaus sent him to jail anyway. He said the father should have taken a different job so he could pay his debt.

In another case, a father more than $11,000 in arrears brought receipts showing about half of his paycheck was being docked each month for child support.

"I've given you everything I have," he said.

But he was still more than $1,000 short and sentenced to jail.

"We're not playing games. You owe a lot of money. You knew what you had to do when you came in here," Niehaus said.

Niehaus said he takes a strong stance because the parents already have had several chances to pay. Jail is often the last resort.

"We keep these people coming back every few months, these are the ones we're struggling with," he said.

"There's a lot of sad stories here," he said. "You can understand it, but you can't excuse it. You have to hold people accountable. It's tough."

Last year $70,000 was collected and seven parents were sent to jail during Niehaus' Christmas docket.

[a href=http://www.journal-news.com/news/newsfd/auto/feed/news/2003/12/17/1071710277.20005.4089.4471.html;COXnetJSessionID=1i14yqw672QVIdFSwXkH6esXSS9Za5gpQZkfQ5w441T9KuV00QG3!1454903668?urac=n&urvf=10718084405360.8205562428125104]Article Here[/a]

[FatherTime]

I think that it's shameful.  Whe he is at the pearly gates....what will he say.  "I did it for the kids."

Christmas is about the birth of Jesus.  It looks like this judge has bought in to the notion that Christmas is about the money.

In WWII, soldiers on both sides stopped fighting for awhile on Christmas eve.  To them, at that moment it wasn't about money, hatred, revenge, and so money of the other reasons that they had to hate each other.  It was truly about love.

This punk ass judge is on his mighty horse, and hurting kids.  I personally feel that time is more important than money.  He is depriving the children of these parents of the love and time that a parent(father) can give to his kids at Christmas.

fatherTIME

[Kitty C.]

If I were one of them and standing in his court, I'd just tell him 'Lock me up, your honor.  I'm not 'allowed' to see them at Christmas anyway, so what difference does it make?'

[FatherTime]

I really did something to that effect, not at Christmas, but through Thanksgiving and almost through Christmas.
I spoke with my action.  Aaahhh,....the stories we could tell.


Hence, another meaning for

fatherTIME.

[Brent]

> The judge must be an atheist.

There's nothing wrong with being an atheist, any more than there's something wrong with believing in religion. A good case could be made that the former is a more reality-based position than the latter, you know.


>Whe he is at the pearly
>gates....what will he say.  "I did it for the kids."

Maybe he doesn't believe in that particular set of fairy tales.



>Christmas is about the birth of Jesus.  It looks like this
>judge has bought in to the notion that Christmas is about the
>money.

Look around you....Christmas is about the money. Don't kid yourself.



>This punk ass judge is on his mighty horse, and hurting kids.
>I personally feel that time is more important than money.  He
>is depriving the children of these parents of the love and
>time that a parent(father) can give to his kids at Christmas.

I agree with this 100%.

[FatherTime]

Then let's agree to agree and disagree.

Merry Christmas Brent.

 :)

[Indigo Mom]

-----The judge must be an atheist-----

No, he's a prick.  He's not doing this around Christmas for any other reason than to make headlines.  

Can you really see this making headlines if it was done on the 12th of June?

[tryn2begooddad]

Kitty,

I disagree with this because then it ties the support into visitation when the two are (or should be) separate.. I agree that with some of the psycho's out there that visitation is most likely withheld...What the judge needs to realize is that it may not be a case of the dads not wanting to pay but not being able to afford to pay and still live and provide a decent second home for their kids. And yes I pay out the yahoo in CS which is garnished right from my check so that way I fulfill my responsibilities for CS. just my two cents