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Divorced fathers testify about child support
http://www.projo.com/ap/ne/1084559025.htm
05.14.2004 2:23 P.M. Divorced fathers testify about child support The Associated Press PLYMOUTH, N.H. (AP) - Divorced fathers testified about the challenges of paying child support and abiding by judges' orders during a hearing before the Legislative Commission on Child Support. "I was essentially ordered into bankruptcy," said Doug Madsen of Dover said at the Plymouth Regional Senior Center on Thursday. He said the marital master presiding over his case didn't look at his financial statement. "Judges need to be accountable when they order child support. They should sign some sort of statement that they did read financial affidavits for both parents and that child support is based on what the parent can pay," Madsen said. Several of those testifying said they would support a debit card system that both parents could draw against for purchases limited to their children's needs. "My hard-earned money is funding my ex-wife's new house and new car," Jeffrey Twombly said. "I have my daughter 40 to 50 percent of the time but I pay $158 per week in child support plus her dance lessons, costumes, snowboard lessons. I'm never in a million years going to be able to pay for college." Regarding custody, "the court should start with 50 percent custody and zero child support unless there are extenuating circumstances," said Jim Ward of New London. "There should be a formula that takes discretion away from the marital masters and a system that leads to character assassination and a search for the bad guy." "What should that formula be?" asked Rep. David Bickford, R-New Durham, commisson chairman. "I don't know," said Ward. The commission must report to the Legislature by Dec. 1. Psychiatrist Stevan Gressitt of Unity, Maine, testified about the high number of prescriptions to children for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. "Our research shows there is a direct correlation between these prescriptions and divorce," he said. He said the systems focus on assessing child-support payments rather than assuring the child has two viable parents puts the non-custodial parent in an "unreasonable situation." "The incentive is for the custodial parent to prove the non-custodial parent is a bad guy in order to get the maximum child support," he said. "The non-custodial parent is in an unreasonable situation and unreasonable acts follow." Information from: Citizen, http://www.fosters.com/citizen |
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