Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-24
m
Detroit Friend of Court Plan Collects Amony Saves Money

last year are staggering. Here
they are:
/. The Friend of the Court
collected $79.47O. which was paid
out to the Detroit Department of
Public Welfare as reimbursement
for money it had spent for liti-
gantS' families. In this connec-
ton the department reported
the number of relief cases last
year dropped from 3.708 to 2,405.
2. The Office collected and
then reimbursed Juvenile Court
In the amount of $23.417 for
money spent on dependent chill
dren while cases were in litiga-
ton.
3. The Friend Of the Court re-
imbursed the Wayne County
Bureau of Public Aid in the
amount of $30.179. representing
collections made after this as
sistance had been extended.
4. The Friend of the Court
processed 1893 paternity and re-
lated cases in which it saved the
Wayne County Bureau of Social
Aid a total of $213,098 in its work
outside the city limits.
5: 1t saved the county Bureau
of Social Aid an additional
$553.894 in its aid to dependent
children program.
6. Under the Reciprocal Sup
port Act, it collected and dis
tributed a total of $85,281 to
other Jurisdictions.
Cash Grants Slashed.
This is what was written on
January 10 by George F.
Granger, supervisor of the
Wayne County Bureau of Social
Aid:
Cash grants for the care of
children on the aid to dependent
children program of the Wayne
County Bureau of Social Aid
have been reduced $553,89464
during the year 1858. as result
of the amounts ordered paid by
Circuit Court for support.
1--WE feel that this is a re-
markable achievement for the
Friend of the Court and the Cir
cult court when we consider
that although the aid to de-
pendent children caseload de-
clined from 9,976 in 1852 to
1926 in 1858. the savings to
the taxpayers through the friend
of the court has increased from
1923, 50O.58 in 1852 to $553. 894.64
in 1858.
During 1853 the Wayne
County Bureau was relieved of
part of the support in 1893 pa
ternity and temporary alimony
cases through the efforts of the
Friend of the Court and Circuit
Court. as compared to 287 in
the previous year. These orders
represent a total of $213.098. go
which the bureau would have
found necessary to spend in sup
porting these families if support
had not been secured through
the court.
This is $4,000 more than
was secured in 1852. In addition,
$24 ,084.36 was collected as the
direct result of contempt pro-
ceedings and $6,094.89 was re-
funded by our recipients. :
I'VE are also aware of the fact
that the above figures do not in
clude the thousands of dollars
of public funds saved through
court orders which were sufficient
to meet the full needs of fam
lilies. These orders made it pos
sible to deny applications or 20
close cases because adequate
support IS beng received"
AS Senator Ferguson, Republi-
can. of Michigan mas pointed
out. lawyers in Wayne County
like the Friend OF the Court syS-
tenn. Here are some comments
Edward S. Piggins: 1.-THE fun
damental purpose is excellent.
OF course, it has TO be watched
to keep it from getting out of
hand. Also. because of the vol
ume of work. it IS sometimes
easy for cases to be stereotyped
by the staff.
Nevertheless, ! have found
them to err on only a few occa-
| sions. The system certainly