save my grandchildren no support either

We have had our grandchildren for over a year due to CPS involement. we have taken all financial support for the children because mom has no job and every time the friend of the court catches up to dad he goes down to only working one day a week (US Army). The army stands behind him every time. How can we prove different? He even just went out and bought a new car and brags about how high his payments are.

[tbyte]

How is the father working only one day each week if he is enrolled in the army?

Why is the mother excused from financially supporting her children just because she does not have a job?

You seem to be coming down hard on the father for only working one day per week, while excusing the mother who works zero days per week.

What do the court orders say about how much each of these parents is to contribute for support? Do the funds get channeled through a Child Support Collection Agency?

HELLO!!!! I'm complaining about both parents not paying! I don't think mom will ever hold a job for any length of time. As for dad, he is in the army reserves. They pay him to go to school and when he wants extra money he goes in and works in the office for a day or two. This is the converstion we had with him in our house.

me.."Your not paying any child support, do you think you could help out with diapers and pull ups for the kids? I'll get what I need here but it would really help if you and mom could help with the supply for day care."

dad.."Well I don't know, I'll have to see, I just bought a new van, I'll see what I can do"

my husband.."How can you afford a new van."

dad.."I'm not worried about money, my payments are only $90.00 more than my car payment was. The army pays me enough to go to school and if I need extra money I just go in and work extra days."

husband.."If your not worried about money why can't you help out with child support, or at least daycare expenses and diapers?"

dad.."I'm not paying anyone to take care of my kids, I don't care what the court says."

husband." If the orders support and you don't pay you'll go to jail."

dad.."My brother hasn't payed support in two years and he hasn't went to jail yet."

me.."Okay, this conversation is getting a little heated, if you don't want to support you kids that's your business, enjoy your money."

I opened the door and dad left. We haven't received a bit of support. When I called the FOC office to question it they told me..."Mom doesn't make enough money and dad has no employment listed"(mom was working part time at the time). I said, "What do you mean he has no employment listed, he's employed by the United States Army." They said "I'm sorry, we do not have that information, we'll have to check into it." That was in December, I got a letter last week stating that they are closing the case because they can not locate either parent for verification.

One thing that I did forget to mention is that mom does get some state help with food. She does bring stuff like bread, milk, and juice, and some times she will bring carrots, grapes, apples, bananas and stuff like that. It' not all the time, but in today's economy every little bit helps. At least she does something. Because we are relative caregivers, the only help we get from the state is insurance for the children, and the state pays a portion of daycare expenses. It doesn't make any since to me, you would think the state would go after them to cover their expenses.

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Originally Posted by Unregistered

HELLO!!!! I'm complaining about both parents not paying! I don't think mom will ever hold a job for any length of time.

Again, why is the acceptable as an excuse for mothers not paying support. It would certainly never be accepted by a court as an excuse for a father failing in his responsibilities.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

me.."Okay, this conversation is getting a little heated, if you don't want to support you kids that's your business, enjoy your money."

Well, you are wrong there. It is not his business whether or not he supports his child. It is his (and the mother's) responsibility.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

We haven't received a bit of support. When I called the FOC office to question it they told me..."Mom doesn't make enough money and dad has no employment listed"(mom was working part time at the time).

I don't know what State you are in, but in Ohio a parent is presumed to be capable of making a minimum income even if they are unemployed, and they are responsible for child support based upon this income whether they work or not.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I said, "What do you mean he has no employment listed, he's employed by the United States Army." They said "I'm sorry, we do not have that information, we'll have to check into it." That was in December, I got a letter last week stating that they are closing the case because they can not locate either parent for verification.

You need to stay on them. I'm sure you can locate an address for at least one of the parents. Give them the addresses and make them open the case again.
Another think you could do would be to seek financial support in raising the child from the State, at which point they will pursue both parents to recoup their costs.

Trust me, I know what you are saying, I feel they should both pay!!! This is Michigan and my husband still had to pay when he was unemployed, and then catch up on what he was behind once he was working again. We own our own business, so sometimes he will pay monthly instead of weekly, by the second week he is getting nasty letter from FOC.

The CPS case is still in court, dads address has not changed, and I was there when mom gave them my address to send her mail to (she stays with my son when she does not have her visits with the children and with us when she does). She never received any thing here. I called them(FOC) and asked what addresses they have for them and they are correct. I really think there is some thing corrupt going on.

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Corrupt?
No, just incompetent.
Michigan's FOC system is practically infamous.

[PapaJohn]

I don't know about the laws in the states regarding this but I do know that here in Canada it is totally legal for you to tape record any conversation you participate in, even without the consent or knowledge of the other party. The conversation you quoted above that you had with the father would have been great evidence if it had been recorded. Perhaps you can get the father back and have another similar discussion and record it if the laws there are the same as here.

Audio/video can not be used in court in Michigan, if it could, I would tape the reaction of the children when they have to go with mom or dad.