Gender Bias
Ken
I would like to inform people in Armstong County who are paying child
support about a new defense In Armstrong County.My client,a male has primary
physical custody of his minor children.His ex-wife is the partial custodian
of the minor children. My background is that I am an attorney who has
practiced family law in about 18 different counties in western Pennsylvania.
I have been through the support system in all those counties.
Recently, I had the opportunity to appear before the Domestic Relations
Officer in Kittanning involving this case. Three days prior to the hearing,
the mother decided that she was going to enroll in technical school full
time. The Domestic Relations Officer saw this as such a great benefit that
she ordered zero child support,even though it is obvious that the mother has
the capacity and willingness to work as she quit her job to go to school. I
find the actions of the Domestic Relations Officer further confirmation that
gender bias in family law is so pervasive that it is almost impossible for a
male to get the same consideration as a female in like circumstances.
The law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania states that "the support of a
child is a priority obligation so that a party is expected to meet this
obligation by adjusting his or her expenditures." This does not include
parents who blatantly thumb their nose at the system by attempting to avoid
child support saying that they are a full time student.
Other communities and counties surrounding Armstrong County fully appreciate
the fact that people attempt to better themselves for their children
However, this betterment must be balanced against the needs of the children.
In Armstong County, apparently, the needs of the children have been placed
second and the needs of female payers of child support have been placed
first.
Please help by sending comments to Domestic Relations at
www.armstrongcounty.com