By Staff
CASSOPOLIS – Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz's child support staff secured 210 child support orders in 2006 – the highest number for the office in almost a decade.
"These orders save the taxpayers large sums of money," Fitz said Tuesday. "And when parents become invested in the welfare of their kids, we all win."
Each child support order requires that parents – not the state – pay for certain needs of a child.
In 2006 alone the orders called for non-custodial parents – instead of taxpayers – to pay $459,092.28 in child support.
"Prior to my arrival," Fitz said, "the Cass County Prosecutor's Office and Friend of the Court had a strong history of holding parents responsible for the costs of raising their children. I am pleased that my staff is continuing that tradition."
For the past two years the Prosecutor's Office has topped the 200 child support order mark.
When a custodial parent is receiving public assistance, taxpayers potentially bear the entire burden of paying for that assistance.
Accordingly, the Cass County Prosecutor's Office, as well as the Friend of the Court, state agencies and the courts seek to hold parents accountable.
If the identity of both parents are already legally established when the custodial parent begins to receive public assistance, Fitz's child support investigator, Terri Bauer, goes into action.
Bauer locates and confers with the non-custodial parent.
An income level is verified.
Then, an order of support is generated for court approval.
The monthly amount ordered to be paid is determined by a statutory formula.
In 2006, the Cass County Prosecutor's Office tracked down 111 such previously identified non-custodial parents and secured support orders.
The orders demand that the non-custodial parent, rather than the government, pay their share for the needs of their children.
If the identity of the father of the child is not legally established and the mother is receiving public assistance, by law she must cooperate with the Prosecutor's Office to identify the likely father of the child.
In these situations Bauer meets with the single mother who provides information about the possible father.
The investigator then contacts the prospective father. A DNA test is routinely set up to determine whether the individual is, in fact, the child's father.
After DNA verification, a court order is entered holding the now identified father responsible for child-raising costs.
In some cases, after being contacted by Fitz's office, the prospective father simply acknowledges he is the father without requesting a DNA test and agrees to the court order of support.
In 2006, the Prosecutor's Office tracked down, established paternity and secured support orders for 91 previously unknown fathers.
Fitz's office also located and secured support orders on eight Michigan residents who had not been taking care of their child support obligations in other states.
On those occasions where a parent ignores a court order to pay child support, criminal felony charges can result.
Fitz stated, "Terri Bauer, Alia Ruiz and the rest of my office staff have worked quietly and diligently over the past several years to secure an increasing number of annual child support orders. Each order impacts at least one young life. They are helping the children of our community."