Lynda/WA
02-15-2001, 08:56 PM
Today on talk radio there was a case about a man that was named as being a babies father. The original case took place nearly 30 yrs ago. The mother named him as the father and he was arrested (that was the practice back then). He denied ever even having slept with her much less being the father. A blood test was completed and excluded him as a possible father. Even so the state of Washington took him to court and a trial jury found he wasn't.
Skip to recent present. The child is now a woman and on welfare. She was in the welfare office and given his name. She called his house and told his daughter she was her older sister. Problems with the family since he hadn't told his kids he had been accused of being a father 30 yrs prior. He told the woman he wasn't and that there had been a blood test. He then went to multiple state agencies with court records and blood test in hand and tried to correct the problem. They told him they didn't care, they could make their own determination and concluded he was the father. In fact it came to light they had him listed as a deadbeat dad and had tried finding him as recently as 87 to take money (original court case was in 72). He eventually had to contact his congressman. The agency told his congressman (on tape) that they had removed him from the records and called him to apologize. They didn't. In fact he discovered they had increased the file on him to include his children/wife and information needed to collect money. They have since claimed the anonymous information must have come from his wife (she works for the state) but she denies it and the forms are different from those at her office. He and his wife are now getting a divorce citing the pressures from this case. He says relations have been strained with his children even though they believe him and love him.
He has since hired an attorney.
Here's a URL to this story http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis/web/vortex/display?slug=suit18m&date=20010118&query=%22john+speed%22
Other people called in with similar stories. A social worker in CA called and said this is more common then we think. He had a man call today because Oregon is going after him for 22,000 in back child support for a case he never knew of and he isn't even the father. Another man called in saying his 20 yr marriage nearly went down the tubes. He was supeoned as the father of a child and had never even met the woman. He had the same name as the childs supposed father. Based on that (all other information ie date of birth, physical description) the state was going to take him to court for paternity. When he called to say he knew nothing about this woman and couldn't be the father they told him they would get back to him in 7-10 days after letting the mother pictur ID him. He told them they had less than a day or his lawyer would be in. His wife was throwing his clothes out the door as he was on the phone and he wanted it cleared up immediately not at their convenience.
This reaffirmed my opinion that there are less dead beat dads then claimed.
Also, how do you think paternity should be established. From what was being said many cases are determined solely on the mothers word or best guess. Actions are taken without paternity tests. According to the social worker they receive training to help determine who is the father and how to ask questions to determine all potential fathers.
This again brings to mind the recent case were a man was denied any rights to his child even though the druggie criminal mother had abandoned her and he was on the birth certificate with a DNA test.
So what are your feelings. Do you think there are less dead beat dads then reported? Do you think the paternity procedures are adequit? How can they be improved?
Skip to recent present. The child is now a woman and on welfare. She was in the welfare office and given his name. She called his house and told his daughter she was her older sister. Problems with the family since he hadn't told his kids he had been accused of being a father 30 yrs prior. He told the woman he wasn't and that there had been a blood test. He then went to multiple state agencies with court records and blood test in hand and tried to correct the problem. They told him they didn't care, they could make their own determination and concluded he was the father. In fact it came to light they had him listed as a deadbeat dad and had tried finding him as recently as 87 to take money (original court case was in 72). He eventually had to contact his congressman. The agency told his congressman (on tape) that they had removed him from the records and called him to apologize. They didn't. In fact he discovered they had increased the file on him to include his children/wife and information needed to collect money. They have since claimed the anonymous information must have come from his wife (she works for the state) but she denies it and the forms are different from those at her office. He and his wife are now getting a divorce citing the pressures from this case. He says relations have been strained with his children even though they believe him and love him.
He has since hired an attorney.
Here's a URL to this story http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis/web/vortex/display?slug=suit18m&date=20010118&query=%22john+speed%22
Other people called in with similar stories. A social worker in CA called and said this is more common then we think. He had a man call today because Oregon is going after him for 22,000 in back child support for a case he never knew of and he isn't even the father. Another man called in saying his 20 yr marriage nearly went down the tubes. He was supeoned as the father of a child and had never even met the woman. He had the same name as the childs supposed father. Based on that (all other information ie date of birth, physical description) the state was going to take him to court for paternity. When he called to say he knew nothing about this woman and couldn't be the father they told him they would get back to him in 7-10 days after letting the mother pictur ID him. He told them they had less than a day or his lawyer would be in. His wife was throwing his clothes out the door as he was on the phone and he wanted it cleared up immediately not at their convenience.
This reaffirmed my opinion that there are less dead beat dads then claimed.
Also, how do you think paternity should be established. From what was being said many cases are determined solely on the mothers word or best guess. Actions are taken without paternity tests. According to the social worker they receive training to help determine who is the father and how to ask questions to determine all potential fathers.
This again brings to mind the recent case were a man was denied any rights to his child even though the druggie criminal mother had abandoned her and he was on the birth certificate with a DNA test.
So what are your feelings. Do you think there are less dead beat dads then reported? Do you think the paternity procedures are adequit? How can they be improved?