In and age where we are encouraging men to "man up and take responsibility" for their children, a judge in Houston is sending the exact opposite message to a man who not only paid his child support, but was $3000 ahead. In addition, due to a mixup in communication and a change in his visitation schedule, which he claims he knew nothing about, he was apparently seeing his son too much.
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| Clifford Hall and his 11 year old son |
The father, Clifford Hall, says his "jaw dropped" when the judge announced her decision, and in his shock, he stood up and then turned around and walked out. So now, in addition to the 180 days, Mr. Hall now faces contempt and has a bench warrant for his arrest.
Mr. Hall is now set to do the right thing and turn himself in to the Court. However, let's hope rational minds prevail, and that they not only reverse his 180 days, but that the contempt charge is tossed as well. Neither one is just, and the overall message to other young men who are having kids out of wedlock is not a positive one.
This young man should be applauded for stepping up and taking responsibility for his son, not thrown in jail for it.
Maybe they should have a "common sense" test for anyone who seeks, or is nominated, to be a judge, because this decision doesn't come anywhere close to making any sense at all. In fact, it stinks. Something is not right with this whole thing, and some kind of investigation should be done to see if there were some underhanded nefarious legal shenanigans by the mother, her attorney and the judge. It's pretty well established that in cases of divorce and child custody, the legal system belongs to women and men breathe in it, but this is beyond the pale.
