Legal Tragedy for Unemployed Divorced Men & Fathers

[ImFightingMad]

I am writing this to make this Legal Tragedy better known and also in hope that someone could help the thousands of us in this tragic situation.

Like many Americans at this time, I have been laid off. This in itself is bad enough for most Americans, but those of us that have been divorced face a Legal Tragedy that is against The Constitution and all moral concepts. Men are almost exclusively affected by what I am about to tell you. This shows the discrimination of the courts and the laws in this country.

Since I have been laid off, I am only “earning” unemployment insurance, which is only 16.6% of my previous gross income. I therefore cannot pay the alimony and child support that the courts ordered in my divorce in Florida. I do not even have enough money for my own expenses. The courts in Florida are looking at finding me in contempt of court because of non-payment. They would therefore put me in jail along with countless others for the same reason. This makes no legal or moral sense in many ways:

1. If I was still married and got laid off, would the courts care, of course not! The family would have to do what they could to survive. But, since I have been divorced, and there is no relationship anymore, I’m supposed to support them over supporting myself, otherwise go to jail. How does this make any logical, moral or legal sense? Why is it that since I am divorced I have a greater financial responsibility than I ever did when I was married? Why should all of my rights be taken away because I am unemployed now, and yet my ex-wife is suppose to maintain the same or better lifestyle as when I was employed? This again, would not be the case if I were still married. This shows that divorce laws take precedence over basic human rights and are stronger laws than marriage itself, which is a bond with God.

2. If I’m in jail, how am I supposed to find a job? After being in jail, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to ever find a good job again!

3. This type of incarceration was abolished with the 13th Amendment. Which prohibits Involuntary Servitude. Also 8 USCA-56 prohibits Peonage.

Why should my life and other’s be completely destroyed just because we were ever married and now unemployed?

Isn’t the fact that I, and many others have lost our jobs enough of a tragedy in itself? How does completely destroying the rest of our lives solve anything? In this situation, what could any of us ever do to help ourselves?

I was extremely involved in the 2000 Presidential election, supporting George Bush. I lived and worked in Austin, Texas, but I was still a registered voter in Florida. The government and country that I so dearly loved and put so much energy into, has now let me down.

Please Help!

[spunkets]

"They're not going to throw you in jail for showing up in court."

Depends. In WI all it takes is 3 months in arrears and you go to jail. Being unemployed doesn't matter. Most opt for a jury trial. Thhe jury selection process knocks out anyone that has ever been unemployed. The defendant gets a brain dead public defender that can barely read and follow the directions to bake brownies, let alone present the defendant's case to a jury.

This is FL, so... I assume it's a blue rat area and it's a bench trial in front of one of the rats. Seems mad's already been clued in on what will go down. If this is an initial hearing though, you may be able to reject this judge and get another. That's the way it is in some States. I don't know about FL. That would give you time to file for the reductions. FL has alimony-too bad.

[shaggy eel]

I seem to be having a blast...

,,, I mentioned transparency a little further back, didn't I?

[StatesEnemy]

or Sow, as the case may be...

[wardaddy]

I've been where you are except for the unemployment.

Your kids grow up and they will love you and be better for it if you are there for them as much as possible but you are virtually neutered in a battle with an ex-wife who has residential custody unless she does something very very very bad....and maybe not even then.

I do the best that I can but am resigned to the fact that I can only do so much and can only stand by and wait to help pick up the pieces of the mess my ex has made with my daughters.

The law is unfair, the judges are for the most part unfair and that's just how it is.

We have mixed feminism with traditional mother's rights in custody and it has resulted in disastrous fruit.

I hope I live long enough to see my girls become adults and hope they will know the truth....

...but they will always have a hard time realizing their mom is a total flake.

Even good women will use the children against the ex-husband.
A good repsonsible ex-husband will never make an ex-wife happy or appreciative.

It is a lifelong bittersweet fruit and I was warned that by someone who knew when it started for me and he was right.

Just be "there" all you can regardless...that is the most you can do.

I seriously wish my ex no longer wasted the earth's air but that's God's decision.

I can understand why the custom back before the Progressives got involved in American politics was that is a man did not like what was going on with his ex-wife and children then he simply went and got them and told her to stay out of it.....and boys always went with daddy. Of course women did not divorce men much then because they stood to lose too much.

No easy answers...it sucks. Choose wiser next go-around. I did and that makes life worth living.

[Mr. K]

If anyone knows anything about legal review boards or how I begin a process please let me know

[StatesEnemy]

I mentioned transparency a little further back

Explain to me, why living my life as I SEE FIT, and keeping the SWEAT OF MY LABOR is 'transparant' [which BTW, I think you meant 'shallow']?

Espescially with sexist sows like mlmr runnin' around?

[buzzyboop]

I hear you IFM. Oh boy do I hear you. BTW.. I posted an article on the subject of Marriage Strikes a couple days ago.

[shaggy eel]

Choose wiser next go-around. I did and that makes life worth living.

BUMP

[speekinout]

I have known 4 professional men to stop work completely and another 6 to downsize their work or change jobs

I know that one. I was friends for awhile with a guy who was a part time ins. salesman. He was scraping by. Then I found out that before his divorce, he had been a stock salesman/investment counselor. He just didn't want to pay for the kids, so he took a 10 year "semi-retirement". We stopped being friends.
And, yes, he did go back to his high-paying profession after the kids turned 18.

[shaggy eel]

Explain to me, why living my life as I SEE FIT, and keeping the SWEAT OF MY LABOR is 'transparent' [which BTW, I think you meant 'shallow']?

,,, you've given your opinions and adhering to them seems to work for you. Is that the sum total of your input to another person's life? Ride them, ride into the sunset on a carbon fibre bike and generate little else apart from income? Tell me if I've missed anything? Maybe you haven't sold this as dynamically as you could have. Tell me more and let me know if each day gets better.

[moondancer]

crappy:(

[Lord_Baltar]

Dignifying your ridiculous post with a response was something I wanted to avoid, but when you decided to post again, it's very difficult.

And here I thought Dickens made up characters.

"Are there no Prisons? Are there no Workhouse? Those who are badly off should go there, and those who would rather die, ;et them, and decrease the surplus popluation..."

To be honest 4, I'd tell you what I really think of your attitude, but there are Ladies present, and I'd like to avoid offending them...

[meyer]

Yes I did file for reduction of alimomy & child support. I also have been unable to pay the orginal amount since it is more than my unemployment! The Judge refuses to listen to that and instead is trying to find me in contempt for non-payment of the original total which is more than my unemployement! This has happened to thousands of men in this country.

I'm beginning to wonder if jail isn't a viable alternative - at least they feed you there. If we clog the jails with enough PO'ed dads, maybe someone will look at the situation more objectively. Of course, that's all easy for me to say, being unmarried and all.

[familyop]

"You should have kept your pants on."

You should see broadcasting--an excellent sport. ...good
argument from you there, BTW, for repealing the 19th
Amendment.

The dude's witch should have kept her pants on long before
she met him.

[StatesEnemy]

Ride them, ride into the sunset on a carbon fibre bike and generate little else apart from income? Tell me if I've missed anything?

I travel, I date, I read, I learn, I post, I think, I hunt, I fish, I ride, I hike, I kayak, I splurge, I save, I cook, I ENJOY.

Now you explain to me, why depending upon another for "happiness" is the more noble of pursuits...

[meyer]

In many cases, "child support" is actually a disguise for alimony.

[frodolives]

If you were still married and the kids were still around, you wouldn't sit on your heiney for 26 weeks drawing insufficient income. You just want enough for your own needs, not your dependents. When the little hungry faces live across the state or country, it's so much easier to ignore them.

[familyop]

"Yes I did file for reduction of alimomy & child support. I also have been unable to pay the orginal amount since it is more than my unemployment! The Judge refuses to listen to that and instead is trying to find me in contempt for non-payment of the original total which is more than my unemployement! This has happened to thousands of men in this country."

Help to get rid of no-fault divorce. Put the danged lawyers
to work at trying to reduce the divorce rate instead of
increasing it. We're going to put them nearly out of
business anyway, whether they like it or not.

[null and void]

I want to reach right through your monitor and throttle you.

I am where he is, except a Kalistan court did lower my support to match my changed circumstances.

You, I gather, have never had a relationship with anyone who didn't act in good faith.

Married the first guy you ever dated.

Never been betrayed.

Never chose unwisely.

Never lost a job.

Never been issued a ticket you didn't deserve.

Never had an accident.

Never had any misfortune in your happy little life.

But you feel justified in harshly judging others.

How very *Liberal* of you...

[StatesEnemy]

When the little hungry faces live across the state or country, it's so much easier to ignore them.

Why of course... if a man has been denied the pleasure of being in his children's lives, where's the motivation?

And once again I'll reiterate - over 70% of non-custodial mothers are DEADBEATS