The word child support strikes a variety of emotions through people depending on their experience with this controversial subject. For some it induces deeply rooted bitterness and resentment because of neglect and limited resources available to their children; however, for others it stirs a whirlwind of emotional guilt and regret for failing their children. Regardless of where your are positioned on the spectrum, one thing is apparent to me; the child support system needs a major overhaul. The media's coverage of child support conveniently focuses on absenteeism and delinquency, which are travesties, but there is another side of this subject. Did you know child support papers can be filed and delivered to a person without a DNA test? Listen to this story. After twelve years of lying to her boyfriend, a young woman decides to pursue child support on the man she "knows" is the father of her child and the state of Texas attorney General's office is ecstatic to assist her efforts. The attorney general used its resources to obtain this mans social security number, drivers license number, home phone number, home address, place of employment, and annual income which was all made available to this young woman even though paternity was not established. One grand day the county constable served this man with child support papers detailing drop off and pick up times, summer schedule, $707.00 monthly payments, and $20,000 in back child support; all without proof a paternity. The man contested this ruling and requested a DNA test. The state took pictures of him and even required his fingerprints to be placed on file as if he committed a horrible crime; consequently, the test proved the child belonged to another man. This is not a fictional story, this happened to me. While I will agree some have abandoned their post in caring for their children, I must also acknowledge that there a many others who are being devoured by child support fraud and a overly aggressive child support system.
Brandon J.
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