if the fathers of my children were trying for access...i guarantee you i would jump state, or do anything necessary to protect the welfare and health of my kids.

Was glad to pay my support. The son and daughter and the mother I am good terms with. The daughter wondered why the court took such a big chunk. The ex even went to bat for me telling the court that I had paid one year. Made no difference because the court must not make mistakes because I had to pay one whole year twice. Personally I think child support should be for the child. Hopefully some day the court will become of age and be able find a job so I don't have to keep supporting them.

I think the biggest problem we have is the generalization and standardization of parental rights. Each case is unique as are those involved in it. It is such a shame that the courts are so congested they can't or won't look at each case and make a decision based on its unique circumstances.

I agree. The ex even signed an affidavit that I had paid for that one year. Like a dumb ass I didn't keep my receipts because they were never necessary in the first divorce because then the word of the mother meant something but the laws have changed in favor of the court. Even fathers who paid their support are still treated like fathers who don't because the court has made a racket out of it. Computer sent bills that come every month whether the support has been all paid or not. Even went to DHS in one county and they pulled it up on their computer showing that I didn't owe and it was all paid off but another county still keeps sending the bills. Once the court gets their hooks into you are really at their mercy.

i fully agree on this

This is serious biz right here.. I have an older brother who pays child support and his B.M. can't stand him so she won't let any of my family see the kids, also from Pa. The way I see it is if you really want and deserve to see your children than you'll need to go to court for set visitation from the door so that there is no confusing the monetary and the visitation issues. If the court orders that he or she is responsible enough with or without supervision than that person has every legal right to see their children. Just my opinion.

this issue should be address in the court procedure

I absolutely don't think a child should be forced to visit for any reason. They should have rights and a voice as well.

well as a single father of two children i dont feel i have many rights cause as soon as my daughters mom wanted her back after giving her up the courts decided a mothers rights are more than a fathers and gave custody of my daughter back to her mother. Even though she had given up custody to me previously So as of dec 19th or 20th i have to let my daughter move back with her mom even though my nine year old daughter does not want to. The system is crunk. My daughter has no rights till she is older what a joke.

What part of michigan are you in bro? I am in mid-michigan (tri-city area) and I have full custody, 100%. I have learned that michigans laws are 50/50 as far as custody goes. What this means is that the court starts out (or tries to anyway) with both parents having 50% parenting time and rights (in other words, just as if you were still together). Then they look at all the "evidence" or "circumstances" etc. and balance it out. Now dont get me wrong, I am not saying allthe judges follow this, cause they dont, but that is the actual written law for michigan. Now as far as child support goes, they look at both parents incomes, and take that into account as well. a relation ofmine has 50/50 with his ex wife as far as custody, and he pays child support to her cause his income is larger than hers.
I have heard that failure to pay support in michgan can lead to loss of visitation or a revisal of custody rights, but I have not seen anything personally on that area yet (my ex goes for 8 and 9 months without paying and still does not lose visitation, so)

I'm all for DAD's Rights... but when the A$$HOLES ditch out and DO NOTHING for theri kids... I feel the laws are too soft on them... (THIS GOES FOR DEADBEAT MOMS AND DADS). The whole thing makes me sick.

I'm dealing with this right now. A$$hole hasn;t done much of anything in 6 years... but now that I am trying to move outta state he grows a conscience... but just enough of one to show the courts he's "trying"....

I think there should be harsher punishments for the deadbeats who show no interest in their kids... and I seriously feel that those of us left to struggle and "deal with it" get the short end of things... because the laws don't have much bend and give for these types of circumstances.

****END RANT****

my ex is suppose to have the kids every weekend..hahahaha...thats a joke.
The kids get ready and he dont show.
Mind you my kids are 16 & 18...now that dad hasnt shown up for God only knows how many weeks,the kids dont even call him.
He is threatening me that he is going to take me back to court because he hasnt seen them.
I have never kept them away from him and never would,but now they are old enough to make up their own minds,cant wait to go back to court so he can hear first hand exactly what his kids think of him.

Laura... I wish. Sadly mine are 7 and 4... I have a LONG road ahead of me...

i understand everyones need to vent
but that is not what this topic was started for
it was started to inform dads of their rights in differant states and for people to post if they know what they are
they have enough threads for the he said she said ..hes a this and shes a that
please can we just keep in on the subject thankyou

yea my x tried to keep my kids from me but it only back fired on her the court could plainly see...in fact i was the stay at home dad for a year. which help alot also the fact that i have a exelent attorney. i any case it best to have a attorney to make sure u get your rights.

i tell yall i been a singel parent seens my kids were 2 mounts and 2yr. old. i rased them thay are 15 and 17 now. playing both parents are the gratest thing i ever did. i never stop them from seeing there mom all weh way to her death or any body from there her family. thay will respect youin the long run..

Didn't know there was a dictatorship as to what could be posted. Topic says "FATHER'S RIGHTS" ... there are good points and bad points to the issue. The issue is that the laws are written with intent for BOTH PARENTS' right s to be protected... I was in no way saying Fathers should NOT have rights... but whatever Guess next time I'll ask your permission before I voice my opinion. Geez!....

Same age as mine....and they don't understand why their dad makes all kinds of promises and doesn't follow through on any of them!! It's a BUNCH of crap if you ask me....

So sucky that this happened!! You are a good Dad and supported and loved your daughter when she couldn't or wouldn't. It is not fair or right what happened......

Well, in the state of Illinois, even if the non-custodial parent is a deadbeat and uninvolved, if you do not get court permission from the courts to leave the state, the non-custodial parent can slap "kidnapping" charges on you and force you back to the state. It doesn't mean they want to see their kid... it means that they want to screw with your plans to move on in your life. Also- paying child support is considered a form of involvement... so even if the guy NEVER shows interest in seeing his kid or providing physical/emotional support to that child, providing monetary support (in my case, a whopping $68 per week) somehow, in the states eyes, constitutes him being involved.

I commend all the parents who have split that actually do what is right for their kids. Take it from a mom whose kids have never had a dad... the kids suffer when you bail.