Wednesday, December 20, 2006

The Nashville Child Support System Sucks

I know what your thinking. Your thinking here's another upset dad who is being taken to the cleaners by the mother of his children. You couldn't be further from the truth. I am a single dad of three kids who can't seem to get child support. I have had full custody for about 3 years. Now, there mother has been ordered to pay but she doesn't. You would think that they would keep up with that over at Juvenile Court but they don't. You have probably seen the news stories spouting record child support collects. Some of us fall between the cracks. The way they get these people to pay up is by taking away licenses. Like hunting and drivers. Well my BM (babies mom) doesn't hunt and she hasn't had a drivers license or any other type of license in years. So, how am I supposed to get her to pay up. Back in Oak Ridge where my brother lives and pays child support they contact him immediately if her gets behind but not here in good ole Davidson. I have two choices. I can go over to Juvenile Court and pay them about $120 to take her back to court for contempt or I can contact child support services and let them handle it. I chose the latter. Why should I have to pay the state over a hundred dollars to get them to do their job. I am already completely financially responsible for the kids. Even when she did pay up it wasn't much money. Not for three kids anyway. It doesn't even cover what I have to pay for their medical insurance. My brother pays double what she's been ordered but for only two kids.

So, back in September I went down to the Child Support Services office to take care of things. I filled out a application, turned it in and they told me that I would receive something in the mail within 3 three weeks about coming back in for an appointment. Four weeks later I called and I was told that they weren't sure why I hadn't heard anything but I would here something in about a week and a half. I called back 3 weeks later after not being contacted yet again. They told me that they could see it but it would reach there system for a couple days and that I should here something next week. Care to guess if I heard something or not. NO I didn't. I called them back and the lady rudely asked me if I had given them my court order. I told her that I had filled out the application and that... She interrupts me and asks me again if I had given them my court order. " That's what I am trying to tell you ma'am". She interrupts again" I'm just telling you that we can't do anything until we have that. At this point I get mad and tell that they hadn't asked for it and that I had it when I came downtown and I would have gladly given to them then but they didn't ask for it. I went on to say that I didn't appreciate her insinuating that I was the hold up when I had been trying for months to resolve this. She gives me a half hearted apology and the fax number to there office. I fax it over and in a few weeks I receive a letter stating that they were going to wage assign her payment and also go after the back pay. A week or so later I get a check for a whopping $31. My BM is a waitress and that is the most they can take out of her check. She doesn't make her living from her paycheck. She makes it from her tips.

So today I called to see if they could file the paper work to find her in contempt and they tell me that they can't do anything for 90 days. Three more months of waiting on someone to hold her accountable. Makes me understand why so many single mothers just give up. They make you go threw a lot of hassle. My brother works 2 and 3 jobs to pay his child support and what does he get for doing the right thing. They raise his child support because of an increase in income. He has a 1 year old child at home and they only give him a $300 credit for him. That is $300 dollars a year not a month. It sucks that he works so hard to do what is right and they continue to hassle him. My BM doesn't even try and I'm the one who gets all the hassle. Is it because I am a man?

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The views of Lewis are his own and do not express the views of his employer or any other organization that he may be affiliated with.