Why is it so hard for dads that custody get any type of support from the mother?

Answer 1

Anti-father bias pervades the so-called "family courts".
It is a substantiated fact that fathers obtain custody only 15% of the time, which alone is indicative of gender bias in the courtroom.
On the other hand, it is also substantiated that fathers who are ordered to pay support (64%), do so in full in over 45% of the cases and paid at least some child support in over 77% of cases. Those who did not pay in full were usually unable to do so due to lack of employment, underemployment, injury or illness. Still, the public perception is that fathers find a "trophy wife" and run away from their children and their needs, which, needless to say is a myth.
This myth pervades courts and judges who often impute a father's wages beyond that of his earning capacity.
While fathers were ordered to pay child support in 64% of cases, mothers were ordered to do so in only 39% of cases. There are undoubtedly many reasons for this to be so lopsided but it indicates a high possiblility of bias.

In years past, the prevailing law was the "tender years doctrine", which stated that in cases of divorce, young children should be with their mother, older children with their father. They just never got around to changing custody as the children aged as the doctrine indicates. This out-dated and biased doctrine was replaced with "gender neutral" wording but the practice remains in courtrooms across the country.

Women are generally not jailed for "contempt of court" (the official way to jail for a debt in the US), citing that the children would suffer unduely if their mother was imprisoned. Jailing fathers is apparently less stressful to children, or so the courts seem to feel. It is estimated that 250,000 to 400,000 men are jailed each year for failing to pay support (it seems none want to admit this so it isn't tracked that I can find). Although it must happen, I was unable to find one instance of a woman being jailed for the same offense that thousands of men are.

Then there are "political action committees" of feminists who protest and even picket judges who do not favor women in court as well as urge lawmakers to make laws that are gender inequal.

Answer 2

I think that it should be equality - fathers rights should be held at a level equivalent to those of the mothers.

Unfortuneately, we have too many fathers out there whining about child support and too many gold digging mothers who don't want to get up off their backsides and make a lives for themselves - and the moral/ethical few are never heard from.

I think that once you have a child all bets are off for a person to be allowed to be self-centered, self-involved, or just plain childish -- if a couple ends their relationship/ marriage then they need to put on their big by/ big girl undies and step up to their responsibilities! The children never asked to be in a divorce of custody battle - and the parents should just shut up and pay their fair share and raise that child with all the love and support they can muster. (And if a parent can't muster anything - then to hell with them because they aren't worth the right to be called mom or dad!)

Answer 3

Divorce laws are still pro-woman. Regardless how much society has pushed men in becoming more active in a child's life, courts will side with the woman disproportinately.

Answer 4

This goes back to the old England. The women want "equal" as long as the men still have to pay.

Answer 5

This is a question single moms ask themselves everyday about their ex's. Some people just dont pay when they are supposed to.

Answer 6

What???