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PROTECTING THE CHILDREN

Indeed, Attorney General Mike Cox’s exclusive focus upon what he has termed “paying kids” has generated a great deal of unreported resentment among noncustodial parents, mothers and fathers alike. 

Many, however, are highly reluctant to publicly voice criticism of a man who controls the power and resources of the Attorney General’s office. As one father put it, “I’m actually ahead in my child support payments--but what if I lose my job or something else happens that I can’t control?  What if I can’t pay my child support--what then?  The courts won’t lower your child support no matter what happens to you.  Cox just rammed a bunch of laws through the legislature that make it a two year felony if you get $2,000. behind.  That’s Jackson State Penitentiary--and it would take me only two months to get that far behind! After all the tens of thousands of dollars I’ve spent in court just to stay in my kid’s lives, I’ve been through bankruptcy and now I’m living paycheck to paycheck. If something happens to me, do I want the State Attorney General making a ‘special case’ out of me for saying something negative about him?”

The same man ruefully comments, however, that “If Cox or the Courts had been willing to do anything about me seeing my kids--instead of ‘paying my kids’--I wouldn’t be in this position. And neither would my kids.  I’m lucky.  I’ve still got my job and I’m still seeing my kids. But with our economy, my job could be gone to India tomorrow--and with the Courts the way they are, I could be gone from my kids’ lives by next weekend.  I have no more money to even fight it.”

Attorney General Mike Cox has made clear that his mission has been to strike fear into the hearts of noncustodial parents in Michigan, and he appears to have succeeded very impressively. Few people will speak without repeated assurances of anonymity, citing their fear of reprisals, present or future, at the hands of Attorney General Mike Cox or the Courts that wield absolute control over their continued presence in their children’s lives.

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