In January of 2014, Clifford Hall began a six-month jail sentence for violating court-ordered child support payments. Due to a clerical error in the automated child support payments withdrawn from his check, Hall received a bill charging him nearly $3,000 in overdue child support (Singh, 2014). Despite the fact that he quickly repaid the debt, plus an additional $1,000, Texas law required Hall to spend 180 days behind bars (Singh, 2014). Hall is just one of the countless examples of issues with the United State’s child support enforcement policy.
Today, more than 60 percent of the families eligible for child support use the public child support system to obtain or enforce their support orders (Lee, 2012). However, there are many complaints regarding the US child support policies, most of which have been highlighted by actual actors in the system. The system is viewed with suspicion by parents and perceived as the enemy by many fathers—including well-meaning fathers like Hall who want to do the right thing (Waller & Plotnick, 2000, p.12). Furthermore, the child support policy, with its complex mixture of federal guidelines and state statues, has failed to adequately serve some of its neediest families (Lee, 2012). Beyond the legal financial obligation, U.S. child support policies have effectively failed to compensate for the emotional well …show more content…
Under US law, biological parents have a liability to support a child, regardless of circumstances surrounding the conception of the child. Child-support liability stands even in the face of “involuntary” parentage; for example, if a woman or man deliberately lies about the use on contraception of fertility, child-support liability still stands due to the partners willingness to participate in sexual intercourse despite the known risk of pregnancy (Morgan,
Today, more than 60 percent of the families eligible for child support use the public child support system to obtain or enforce their support orders (Lee, 2012). However, there are many complaints regarding the US child support policies, most of which have been highlighted by actual actors in the system. The system is viewed with suspicion by parents and perceived as the enemy by many fathers—including well-meaning fathers like Hall who want to do the right thing (Waller & Plotnick, 2000, p.12). Furthermore, the child support policy, with its complex mixture of federal guidelines and state statues, has failed to adequately serve some of its neediest families (Lee, 2012). Beyond the legal financial obligation, U.S. child support policies have effectively failed to compensate for the emotional well …show more content…
Under US law, biological parents have a liability to support a child, regardless of circumstances surrounding the conception of the child. Child-support liability stands even in the face of “involuntary” parentage; for example, if a woman or man deliberately lies about the use on contraception of fertility, child-support liability still stands due to the partners willingness to participate in sexual intercourse despite the known risk of pregnancy (Morgan,