A father who owes $50,000 in child support and $40,000 in interest was recently ordered to no longer procreate until he can prove that he can provide financial assistance for his children. Naturally, this ruling raises several questions and concerns, such as is this fair to fathers and if this is even enforceable?
The case involves a 44-year-old father of nine. The father pleaded no contest in October to failure to pay child support and felony bail jumping. Of the six women he has children with, it was not reported how many he owes child support.
During the hearing, in which the man was sentenced to three years of probation, the circuit court judge expressed frustration over the fact that people should not have children they cannot afford. That was when the assistant district attorney mentioned another state’s Supreme Court ruling where the judge ordered a condition of probation that a father could not have another child unless he was able to show that he could financially support that child.
Of hearing this, the judge decided to also order the same condition on the 44-year-old father of nine.
But just what would happen if the father did have more children? Isn’t it also a mother’s choice to have a child? Just what would happen if the man does have more kids and violates the condition of his probation? If this winded up leading to jail time, wouldn’t it make it even more difficult for him to be able to pay child support?
As a father in Missouri, what do you think of this ruling? Is it fair?
Source: The Journal Times, “Deadbeat dad sentenced to probation, ordered not to procreate,” Kristen Zambo, Dec. 3, 2012
