From: jsw@cray.com (Jon S. Wood)
Newsgroups: alt.child-support
Subject: Re: What a Problem!!!
Date: 2 Oct 92 19:02:09 GMT
Reply-To: jsw@cray.com
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.

In article 64K@cs.psu.edu, beaver@castor.cs.psu.edu (Don Beaver) writes:
>In article <1992Oct2.065837.7784@ringer.cs.utsa.edu> wcaceres@lonestar.utsa.edu (Wendy K. Caceres) writes:
>>
>>and what is your theory about why 75% of the cases are uncontested?  i
>>think i know why MY dad didn't fight for custody -- i am just interested
>>in hearing your explanation of this phenomenon.

>In article 64K@cs.psu.edu, beaver@castor.cs.psu.edu (Don Beaver) writes:

>First, I have *no* idea about your father.
>
>But I would explain the phenomenon as follows:
>
>.. the Tender Years Doctrine places small children automatically
>  with the mother, no fight necessary

 My attorney said: Unless you have pictures of her shoving cocaine up
                   the children's asses with a dildo, you will not
                   win custody.
>
>.. where the Tender Years Doctrine no longer legally holds, judges are still
>  biased, and all family lawyers know this

 ditto lawyer response to custody
>
>.. lawyers for the woman will explicitly use this bias as a bargaining
>  chip in pre-trial mediation, and lawyers for the man recognize its weight

Fact: Her attorney ignored ALL requests for mediating a shared custody 
      arrangement.
>
>.. lawyers for the man will tell the man he'll have to invest $10,000-$30,000,
>  and even then will not have a very good chance

   My attorney said, "without the photo's, expect about a $30,000.00 attorney
                      fees of which you're parents will have to place their
                      home as a retainer (the only $ in the bank, house is
                      worth about 50,000.00) because YOU, mr. wood have 
                      zilch, AND you'll have a 1 in 10 chance of winning
                      if everything goes PERFECT.

>
>.. lawyers for the man may require large retainers

See above
>
>.. women resort to false accusations of child abuse to win cases that
>  they might otherwise lose

 Hinted at during 'mediation' by the ex's attorney.... 
My son pulled a crock pot of hot chili on himself a year and a half prior
to the divorce. Her attorney pointed out that this WILL be discussed during
the trial. I happened to be within 10 ft of the child when it happened. 
Momma as usual, was not home.
>
>.. a new trend in the few states where homosexuality is legally relevant
>  is for women to make false accusations of homosexuality (easier route,
>  and requires no coached stories from children)

not applicable
>
>.. with statistics that show men have little chance, and knowing that
>  custody battles can put children through hell, the best-qualified
>  (sensitive and caring) fathers may back off
The attorney mentioned the procedures the kids would be put through, 

>
>.. some fathers believe what their mothers (and fathers) told them,
>  that children belong with the mothers (and even that men who want 
>  their children are somehow suspect)
possibly, but not a factor in my descision.
>
>.. poor men may not be able to afford legal defense (just as poor
>  women may not be able to afford abortions)
poor predivorce families are poorer after a divorce. The question I 
have for the lawmakers is this:  1 poor household divided by 2 equals
welfare and government dependancy. Answer, BASH all MEN.
>
>.. middle-class men may not be able to afford legal defense because they
>  have already been hit with child-support and/or spousal-support
>  (and do not qualify for free legal defense despite this)

Irrefutable.

>
>.. the quality of legal defense makes all the difference (ie. many
>  lawyers would laugh at the chances of a father with a public defender)
>
>(Disclaimer: no universal quantifiers implied.)
>
>I am continually amazed that there are *any* fathers who fight for custody.

Fact IS, the numbers according to the Gender fairness taskforce (William
Mitchell Law School, St. Paul Mn) is miniscule. The female biased task
force IGNORED this stat and presumed I suppose that MEN are scum and leave
their families to rot. 

>
>Don
>-- 
>beaver@cs.psu.edu                       Opinions from the PC-challenged


Jon Wood
From: kingsley@hpwrce.mayfield.hp.com (Kingsley Morse)
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 17:07:15 GMT
Subject: Re: Garrod - support $ by state
Organization: HP Western Response Center