I went to the movie Stop Loss last night. One of its messages was how the army uses the full power of the state to coerce soldiers into serving another tour in Iraq.Basically you sign a contract to serve 5 years and then the President tells you you can’t leave and have to take another tour of duty. If you refuse you are branded a fugitive - the only option being to flee to Canada or Mexico.
In my mind, non-custodial fathers are in exactly the same position. A parenting or divorce agreement can be changed at any time and if you rebel you get slapped down by the full force of the system. Except you can’t flee to Canada because they have the same system!
I had visitation built into a parenting plan and final decree but the judge refused to enforce visitation because in her words, “they are old enough to choose if they want to see you”. So much for all the courts BS about mediated parenting plans etc. Of course, deciding not to pay child support would result in all sorts of penalties, including imprisonment.
