Opinion ID: 1933100
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Michael Mason

Text: In a paternity action filed in 1985, Michael Mason was found to be the father of Katrina Thomas, born on January 31, 1982, and he was ordered to pay support for that child. In a paternity action filed in 1986, he was found to be the father of Michael Mason, Jr., born on March 2, 1982two months after Katrinaand was ordered to pay support for him. In each case, the amount of support was eventually set at $250/month, payable to BOSE. Mason was first found in contempt for failing to support his son, Michael, in September, 1987. By September, 1988, his arrearage in Michael's case had risen to $2,250, and he was again found in contempt. A third contempt order came in March, 1992, by which time his arrearage had declined to $1,459. The arrearage increased thereafter until May, 1996, when Michael's mother agreed to forgive nearly $7,500 in accumulated arrearage. By September, his arrearage was back to $1,700. A similar pattern occurred in Katrina's case, resulting in several contempt proceedings. At some point, the two support orders were enforced together, and the consolidated arrearage grew significantly. By July, 1999, even after the forgiveness of $7,500, his combined arrearage stood at over $12,000. In that month, BOSE petitioned for contempt, not on the basis of non-payment, but because Mason had failed to maintain bi-weekly contact, as required. Mason appeared at the hearing without a lawyer. The waiver inquiry consumed all of eleven lines on one page of transcript: THE COURT: Alright. You have the right to have a lawyer, you know that. MR. MASON: Yes, sir. THE COURT: You've been here before. MR. MASON: Yes. THE COURT: You going to be your own lawyer today? MR. MASON: Yes. THE COURT: Alright. The Court finds pursuant to Maryland Rule [15-206] that Mr. Mason has knowingly and voluntarily waived his right to counsel. And you understand the outcome of the proceedings could be jail and a lawyer could be helpful to prevent that? MR. MASON: Yes. At that point, BOSE informed the master that there were three cases pending, requiring bi-weekly contact, that Mason's last contact with BOSE was March 8, 1999, and that the last payment was a purge amount of $300 paid on March 30. When asked about the lack of contact, Mason said that he had a little drinking problem and had gone to a Veterans Administration hospital to dry out. He had no clear recollection of when he went to the hospital but said that he stayed there for two weeks. Mason said that he was unemployed but made about $75/week doing odd jobs. On that evidence, the master found that (1) there was no justifiable excuse for missing eight of the required contacts with BOSE, (2) Mason was not regularly employed but earned $75 from odd jobs, (3) he had the present ability to make biweekly contacts and to pay child support, (4) the outstanding arrearage was $12,095, (5) a reasonable purge was $900, and (6) Mason had the present ability to pay that amount. Upon those findings, the master recommended that Mason serve 179 days in the county detention center, unless he paid the purge amount before August 9, 1999. The Public Defender filed exceptions, complaining that there was no evidence to support the purge amount, the master failed to conduct a proper waiver inquiry, and Mason was not given a fair opportunity to defend himself. They were denied by the court which, instead, entered an order implementing the master's recommendations.