Lawsuit challenges state's tactics for collecting child support

Bryan Cottingham insists he had no intention of trying to escape the $37,000 he owed in back child support - he says he just didn't have the money to pay.

[Concerned]

He didn't pay his child support so he went to jail (Two measly days.) So wheres the problem?

If you don't work and pay, you should be in jail.

He should have thought about that when he was having sex.

I have absolutely ZERO sympathy for these deadbeats that make the child suffer.

[Mother of 2]

All fathers should be responsible and pay their child support and be a part of their childrens lifes, unfortunately that is not the case. There is a large burden on a single parent when child support is not paid on a regular basis and an emotional burden on the child when a father doesn't regularly see the child. Some parents, and not just men do not deserve to be parents, period. If you don't want to love and support your children, then don't have any.

[PANCHO]

I don't owe any child support, instead I received child support from my ex-wife for many years. The system of putting someone in jail for a debt is against the US Constitution and the TN Supreme Court know that. This outfit that is the contractor for collection should be fined heavely for what it did to this guy. In addition, alimony should be outlawed. These fat a-- women should get out and get a job to support themselves.

[david]

with everything being said the way it was; i see no reason why he should have went to jail. I think the child support system is set up for a women. I've seen men paying $200.00 -$300.00 a week and they can barely breath. a women doesn't need that much a week to support a child. Further more i think there should be a limit depending on the number of children you have. I pay support and have done so for several years now and my x-wife has never worked. She has had another baby since then and the father of that baby lives with her working at a minimam wage job part time and they are all living off of what i have to pay. The system is a joke. Don't get me wrong i know there is a lot of men that are low life father's but what about us father's that are not? Something needs to be done!!!!

[PANCHO]

I can't stand these bleeding hearts and their stories. Mother of 2, if you did not want your children, then you should have kept your legs crossed. You had a choice too!!

Mother of 2 wrote:

All fathers should be
responsible and pay their child support and be a part of their childrens lifes, unfortunately that is not the case. There is a large burden on a single parent when child support is not paid on a regular basis and an emotional burden on the child when a father doesn't regularly see the child. Some parents, and not just men do not deserve to be parents, period. If you don't want to love and support your children, then don't have any.

[Anon]

I have no sympathy for people who do not stand up and take responsibility for their kids. I am owed $2000.00 in back support right now and trust me, there is no quick fix to the situation at all. I work and take care of my child and see to it all needs are met every single day. I will stand in front of God one day and he will say you are a good mother. Can't say the same for the father who has been gone for the last ten years with no interest whatsoever in the child's life. He will hear God say something different. He has brought it all on himself though.

[david]

Concerned wrote:

He didn't pay his child support so he went to jail (Two measly days.) So wheres the problem?
If you don't work and pay, you should be in jail.
He should have thought about that when he was having sex.
I have absolutely ZERO sympathy for these deadbeats that make the child suffer.

The article said that he was paying but he lost his business. How can anyone control that? It also said he still paid child support but he cound't keep up with what he had to pay. It did not say he didn't pay it at all! Make sure you read over the article again.

[amanda t]

child support should be paid. these children didnt ask to be born and especially to deadbeats. there are ways that he could have had his child support lowered. if he didnt thats his own fault.i agree totally with Mother of 2 man or woman if you have a child, support them.

[Jessica from Madville]

I have a friend who is divorced from her husband and she supports their two children by herself. He refuses to get a job and just lives off of his parents and friends. He even tries to suck money off of her! No one has even approached him about not paying. Why hasn't this agency gone after him? He is a low-life and needs to be forced to get a job!

[Johnnybegood]

All you read about are the "Poor Moms".....all I can say is that it takes two to tango..... women have affairs behind the hard working husbands back and when she gets caught and files for a divoce ....the man should pay ? Don't think so!! If you are the cause of the divorce Man Or Woman you should pay!! Besides , what ever happened to the independant woman ?

[clint]

If he lives in Williamson County then he should have moved out of his likely affluent surroundings and moved to a cheaper area and paid his child support. If he is living in a 300k$ home then I believe he should have been jailed. Now my federal tax dollars have to go to use to defend a lawsuit brought about by this deadbeat dad.

[sam]

i think the states just harrass dads illegally to force them to pay.
Bryan puts out a good point: To put someone in jail for criminal contempt of court, the prosecution must prove that the person had the ability to pay and that nonpayment was deliberate.
These criminal contempt orders are just being used improperly to collect child support. lets stick together dads.

[Real]

I just sent a post! Where did it go!
Probably to a unrelated story! What WBIR

[Terry]

Well! i am a step mother to two children and my husband always paid his child support and did the money go toward the children no it do not! I think the mothers should have to show where they spent the money that they received from child support. Because a lot of the time the father pay child support and still has to buy clothes for school,shoes,coats,and a lot more because the mothers don't spend it on the children. Also when a divorce happen i believe they both should pay the bill for doctors,dentist,hospital instead of the father paying all the bill,even when it says in the divorce paper that they are suppose to pay half of these bill,then when you go back to court well they don't check nothing,they just up the child support and the father just keeping paying more child support and all the other bill to. Puls the children most of the time get keep away from the father because that a good way for the mothers to make him mad,but what they don't think of is how much they are hurting the children. So that why some father just keeping paying and doing for their childrne because they love them and want them to have what they need and then some,they are already going through a rough time. I love my stepchildren and i am there when they need me. I also want to give credit to where it should go ( I WANT TO THANK THE GOOD LORD FOR GETTING UP ALL THROUGH SOME ROUGH YEAR AND FOR WATCHING OVER THESE CHILDREN) We now have 5 children and 2 grandchildren to be thankful for!

[sam]

amanda t wrote:

child support should be paid. these children didnt ask to be born and especially to deadbeats. there are ways that he could have had his child support lowered. if he didnt thats his own fault.i agree totally with Mother of 2 man or woman if you have a child, support them.

of course child support should be paid. its just the the noncustodial parent should not be put in the poor house because of these payments. as a note: its too easy for a woman to say to herself i dont love this man anymore lets see how much child support i will receive. Then just for for a divorce and say im not getting my money......

[sick of everyone]

Everyone always has an opinon and that is their right. I am owed over $6000 dollars in back child support and my childs father can't pay me because of medical reasons. The state is actually bothering him about paying. But I know a mother and a father of two children who live off of the state and the mother tells the state she doesn't know where the father is because she would lose her families first. Now just because he lives with his children he is still s deadbeat because he lets the state support his children. So why isn't that a problem??? My husband also has children of his own and he has to pay child support and we have a hard time making with both of us working. So in so many ways I understand him saying he didn't always have enough. I think the state should investigate who they are giving the benefits to. And instead of letting people live off of it forever set time limits.

[Mom of 3]

I am the custodial parent of my child and during the good times, we get 40 whole dollars a week. During bad times (more often than not) we don't get anything. I keep insurance, and I pay all the hospital and Doctor bills. Even though the divorce papers state we each pay half. Thank god for my husband who loves and takes care of my child everyday and loves him just as much as our 2 children together. If a man is going to walk off and leave his family, he should suffer the consequences.

[Blazin Mad]

I beleive that these guys should have to spend time in jail for non-payment. I understand everyone's arguments for both sides. If a man is "truly" not able to work, I understand that. But , when you have deada**es for fathers that decide to drink the money instead of pay the mothers that do get off their fat a**es and work. If they don't pay they should have to give up their rights! I wish that would happen in my case!

[maggie mae]

david wrote:

<quoted text>
The article said that he was paying but he lost his business. How can anyone control that? It also said he still paid child support but he cound't keep up with what he had to pay. It did not say he didn't pay it at all! Make sure you read over the article again.

I bet the dead beat put food in his mouth. Not hard for a man of his background to go and get another job..But of course, he had his own business..bellied up after the divorce..bull crap..give me a better story than that Bozo..there are people like you everywhere...excuses..excuses. .excuses

[Savannah Swayze]

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