Last month on June 20th, 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a disturbing split verdict in the case of Michael D. Turner, an unemployed South Carolina dad who was repeatedly put in jail for child support arrears although he had no ability to pay his court-ordered support. The case hinged on whether or not an impoverished non-custodial parent has the right to court-appointed legal counsel when facing jail time for arrears.
In its 5-4 split verdict, the court ruled that while it is impermissible to jail poor parents for arrears without giving them a chance to be heard in court, that non-custodial parents facing jail time are not entitled to court appointed legal defenders.
Under the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, citizens facing jail time are entitled to court appointed attorneys.
So what was the Supreme Court thinking?
According to Justice Clarence "There's a Pubic Hair in My Coke" Thomas, the Constitution need not apply to non-custodial parents because jail time for child support is not "real" jail time in the sense that it is for criminals. It is "coercive" jail time which arises out of a contempt of court proceeding. Pay no mind to the fact that poor non-custodial parents are jailed in overcrowded prisons with hardcore criminals like murderers and rapists, otherwise one would have to draw a distinction between "criminal" jail time and "coercive" jail time,
Even Justice Breyer ,who wrote a supposedly sympatric majority opinion for non-custodial parents, offered up some strange thoughts on why non-custodial parents shouldn't have lawyers when facing jail time: because that would be unfair to custodial parents without attorneys of their own. Apparently, Breyer doesn't see mighty state child support agencies, police, and family court judges as adequate legal representation for custodial parents.
Family law reform activists might take some satisfaction in the outcome in this case because, on a procedural level, the Supreme Court is saying that better rules must be followed when states seek to jail non-custodial parents. But this victory is somewhat hollow when the Supreme Court leaves wide open the issue of debtors' prisons in general and fails to address non-custodial parents facing political imprisonment over financial debt.
According to an attorney representing non-custodial parents in this case, family court judges in South Carolina alone try about 100 family law cases in a single morning without giving poor non-custodial parents a proper chance to explain their financial situations. And at any given time in just the state of South Carolina, at least 1,500 individuals are in jail for child support arrears (the exact number might be much higher because these are contempt cases, and many courts often throw these statistics in with criminal imprisonments -- isn't that right Justice Thomas?).
So long as there are debtors' prisons and political imprisonment in family law cases, our nation's courts are in direct violation of our Constitution no matter which way some jurists, politicians, and the media might attempt to spin.
Read more about this case at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/21/us/politics/21contempt.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=michael%20d.%20turner&st=cse
http://scthenerve.wordpress.com/2011/07/07/court-ruling-spurs-changes-in-child-support-cases/
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The reference to Justice Thomas was immature & churlish. I dont agree with this ruling but neither do i agree with NCP's getting away w/not paying or even trying to pay 4their kids. Move to AZ they dont give a rat's patoot about arrearages. Im supportingvtwo kids that are NOT mine b/c the piece of garbage father wont cant whatever pay his court ordered support but manages toctake advantage of the system to get it lowered even tho doesnt pay original amt, wants joint custody so he doesnt have to pay ANYTHING, files indigence, keeps having other kids but disappears for years at a time. Bull puckey. How convenient to not work to get out of their responsibilities but guaranteed they are not doing without most of the time. Bleeding hearts be still. Been there, done that & have the tshirt of suppirting kids whose NCP doesnt both as a concerned person & taxpayer.
ReplyDeleteThis is really great read.. i really like this read, you have great approach to this article.. Thanks for sharing
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I am amazed at how many Americans simply do not get how doing all this and ignoring the constitution is eventually going to get them too. They miss the forest for the trees. Americans always need to create bad guys.
ReplyDeleteThat's the fact that the law going to oppose the constitution should be removed. need to take some measures to avoid many of the imprisonment.
ReplyDeleteGovt. should take necessary steps. Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeleteAwwww, they just passed a law, now everyone is subject to jail with no right to an attorney, listen to the little bitches cry foul now. Read my last post......fuck you all very much.
ReplyDeleteAlthough a person is entitled to Legal support, like some, I find it hard to believe some of the things I'm reading here. Most times that people are put in jail for arreages, they are VERY far behind, have made NO effort to pay, and when in jail, are allowed out for work release. If you don't want the responsibility, both emotional and FINANCIAL, or having a child, keep it zipped or keep the knees together.
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