The Law Is An Ass"
As Charles Dickens wrote, sometimes “the law is an ass—a idiot." Child support policy is a funny thing. Obviously most people think that a parents should support a child. But what about when that child is later determined not to be biologically related to the parent? According to Arkansas law, and probably most other states, a prior child support order cannot be voided even when a parent is excluded by DNA as the child's father. Meaning, a father can owe thousands of dollars or more for a child that is not his and there is nothing he can do about it. In this case discussed on CNN, a man was imprisoned a year for past due support even though he was not the father. To make it worse, this man was apparently indigent and couldn't pay even if he wanted to. Here is a case where a little discretion, mercy, and justice go a long way. Although he might owe the money, that doesn't mean the criminal justice system should be used against him. I would hope this wouldn't happen here in Arkansas.
