Man jailed for not paying child support for kid the court knows is not his

I don't know Florida law. Do you?

It's possible the judge's hands were tied in the situation based on what the law allowed. If that is the case, the problem is the law, not the judge.

 

I think it's worse than that. The mother is getting money from public assistance, regardless. In this case, the government is simply blackmailing a man into paying money by threatening jailtime.

These laws need some serious reform, but I'm betting people wanting to protect unwed mothers will make sure it won't happen.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in Texas I believe a paternity test is required if the parents aren't married and the father wants to be listed on the birth certificate. I remember them talking about this when my son was born last month.

 

I don't think anyone Force those Folx to put their money with Madoff
but he still going to prison

Rocket River

 

They weren't forced but their is a contractual and legal obligation for someone running a fund. There is no such thing in regard to sexual relations outside of marriage.

 

"How can she slap?!"

 

Only a matter of time before someone mentions how this case sucks, but the law is necessary because there are so many horrible deadbeat dads out there.

 

Can't get this guy get a presidential pardon? Obama should let him free. He's not a danger to society.

I would hope the woman does know who the real father is. If she can narrow it down to a group of guys, they can all take the test.

 

How hard would it be to add a clause that says only the actual parents have to pay child support?

True justice would be if he got his $$ back. We know that will never happen. At the very least, don't put him in jail.

 

My response is in regard to Rocket River's statement equating what this woman did to being a con job.

The woman may not have realized herself who was the father of the child and the man did agree to initially take on the duties of parenthood. He wasn't forced to have sex with her and she was under no obligation to not sleep with other men. I think the situation sucks for the Hatley but I wouldn't blame the woman.

 

I think it's a little more complicated, but can be done. There are some fathers who are not biological, but they actually play a father role to the child. They get the tangible (visitation rights, guardianship, whatever) and/or intangible (being called daddy or whatever) benefits of fatherhood. I think you can leave those guys on the hook for the expenses. It sounds like this guy is a father in name only, having neither the biological nor social nor legal benefits of being the father, and only the financial responsibilities. That's not fair. To get money from someone, he should either have a biological kinship to or some legal authority (which could be shed by the father) over the child.

 

What is she supposed to do then not pick anyone? One guy is the father and without knowing more about the reason's why she thought Hatley was the father I don't think there is a basis to say she was out to con him.

 

We don't know all of the facts of this case and there might've been very good reasons why she thought Hatley was the father. Also just because she has some uncertainty regarding the fatherhood of the child does that mean then that she should then be completely responsible for the raising the child? Obviously someone is the father of that child and I have a hard time saying that it becomes the mother's sole responsibility to raise the child in a situation of uncertainty about who is the father.

 

She's not alone; she's receiving help from the state. As for having an actual father figure in the child's life, it seems like she doesn't have that regardless.

 

To this day, I have "Unknown" on my birth certificate for father.

 

Taking the position of woman's advocate I would say that while she has a responsibility for sleeping around but then again doesn't the man have one too? We don't know if she knew that Hatley wasn't the father when Hatley initially agreed to take responsibility. We do know that Hatley did have sex her with her and at least initially acknowledged that the consequence might very be that he was the father of that child.

I'm not a prude by any means but I do think that there are consequences to sex and pregnancy is one of them. While I think things are bad for Hatley without knowing more I'm not going to blame the woman for seekign support from someone who very likely could've been the father.