Joomla! site syndication http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/web 2013-05-19T13:38:39+01:00 http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/web http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/web/images/M_images/joomla_rss.png text/html 2008-04-20T16:05:42+01:00 http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/web http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=52&Itemid=2 Let's face it. Most people coming to this site do so because they are dissatisfied with the results they have gotten from a Washington State Court. Sometimes we leave the courtroom with anger because we just can't believe the results we just witnessed. Sometimes we leave with a new sense of understanding. Other times, we leave unhappy with the results, but an understand of why the decision was made.In all results, we leave with a lasting impression of the Judge or Commissioner that just heard our case. And of course we have an opinion of that Judge or Commissioner.It's time we begin sharing those results with others, so they can begin to plan for their next hearing, with an understanding of the person that will be judging their case. If they are biased, it would be great to let others know before they get there. If they are fair, it would be nice to know so we can get in front of them instead of that biased judge. You get the idea.We have a poll on main page of this site - http://WashingtonSharedParenting.com/web (http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/web) that you can take to mark your least favorite judge or commissioner. And, if they aren't on the list - just send us an email at Info@WashingtonSharedParenting.com (mailto:Info@WashingtonSharedParenting.com) and we will gladly add them.If you have a favorite Judge, send their name to us as well, we will start a poll of good judges as well, since we believe that if we look hard enough we can find at least one in Washington State.We would like to encourage everyone to take that extra step and go to RateTheCourts.com (http://ratethecourts.com/top.php?which=8) and take the time to rate your judge or commissioner there as well. It's important to let the world know that our judges are performing well, or not. If you use the link we have provided above, it will take you to a Washington Specific page that shows some of the common judges in our State and how they have been rated. This can be your first step to getting involved in bring about change in Washington State - it only takes a minute or two. text/html 2008-02-25T18:34:04+01:00 http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/web http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=2 Child Support Overpayment Nailed!A recent report prepared by David Spring of the University of Washington (images/stories/CSWG_table_analysis.pdf), and introduced to Washington's Child Support Workgroup created quite a stir in January when it was provided to the group. It created a lot of public discussion as well, as it showed that Washington State was overcharging paying parents by 17% to 40% for their child support amount.Now one could argue that it goes to the children, and is the right thing to do. One could also argue that it impoverishes the non-custodial parent that has a need to be able to provide for their children while at their home as well. When one parent doesn't have the financial health they need to provide for their children, the children are the ones to lose out.Well, David Spring has been hard at work still, providing a new Addendum to his original report (images/stories/files/addendumtoanalysisofchildsupportissues022408.pdf), which only further documents the troubles that Washington's families are experiencing from child support tables that are not only inaccurate, but may have been put together fraudulently.This is a must read! (images/stories/files/addendumtoanalysisofchildsupportissues022408.pdf) It has incredible data, supported with references to demonstrate what is really going on in Washington State. UPDATED 4/20/08 ***** We have also added a new menu option on this site - CSWG Reference Library that contains all three of David's report and addendum's and much of the research documents that he used for creation of his report. We recommend you look at them and decide for yourself - is there an issue withing Washington State?We need to rally behind David and change these inaccurate tables. A first step is to sign the Shared Parenting Petition at http://petition.WashingtonSharedParenting.com (http://petition.washingtonsharedparenting.com/) text/html 2008-01-08T03:40:59+01:00 http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/web http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=47&Itemid=2 Holy Crap Batman! Child Support Workgroup member documents how Washington State is overcharging Child Support!The new Child Support Workgroup is working on identifying what economic table should be used to determine the amount of Child Support to be paid in Washington State. For many years, non-custodial fathers have complained that the amount of child support paid is unjust, leaving them with no money to support themselves and their children. And, in Washington State we have severe penalties for parents that don't pay their child support, including loss of drivers license, passport, jail, liens on homes, etc.Governor Gregoire nominated Dr. David Betson of Notre Dame University to be the Economist on the current Child Support Workgroup (CSWG) that is meeting to discuss and recommend changes to the legislature. Dr. Betson is billed as an expert on child support, and for good reason. In the many states that he has consulted for, their child support amounts have been going up dramatically, not helping non-custodial parents, but increasing the harm to them and their children. And many are trying to understand how this happens.Enter David Spring, with a Masters in Child Development, and working on his PHD, along with extensive background working at the University of Washington in Research and teaching courses in problem solving. David has solved the problem, blowing the top off of the issue. Seems David has done an outstanding job of documenting how Dr. Betson's famed model for child support is wrong, unsubstantiated with any peer review, and using limited data that has skewed his data. Mr. Spring's report to the committee (images/stories/CSWG_table_analysis.pdf) is extensive, and well documented with all references. You can download a copy of the document here (images/stories/CSWG_table_analysis.pdf)After reading the document we ask that you do several things. First, make sure you have signed the shared parenting petition at petition.WashingtonSharedParenting.com, write a letter to your elected representatives in the Washington Legislature demanding an investigation into these issues, and writing a email to the chairman of the Committee, David Stillman (mailto:dstillman@dshs.wa.gov), asking that Dr. Betson's information not be used by his committee! Do it now, before more damage is done!!! text/html 2007-11-13T19:44:07+01:00 http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/web http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=2 The 2007 Washington State Legislature passed a bill that called for the formation of a workgroup to recommend changes to Washington States current Child Support guidelines and report findings to the Legislature.The Washington State Division of Child Support has created a page that serves as a resource page for the workgroup (http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/dcs/Resources/workgroup.asp). It's important for Non-Custodial Parents who are available to attend these meeting, as public comments will be accepted at the meetings.The Division of Child Support has indicated that they can't afford the bandwidth required to provide video from these meetings to the general public. We feel it is important for the public to be involved in this process, and when the meetings are held during work days, during work hours, and at a location that is not convenient and expensive to park at, it just doesn't work in the public's best interest.As a service to our communities, WashingtonSharedParenting.com will offer streaming video of the meeting to the public (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=45 Itemid=54). Below, are several links to video to the meetings that the public can access. Heck, anyone can access, including members of our legislature and staff of DCS. We ask you consider one thing in return - please sign the petition at www.WashingtonSharedParenting.com/petition (http://www.washingtonsharedparenting.com/petition) requesting the legislature and the Governor sign a shared parenting bill in 2008! text/html 2007-08-23T00:51:03+01:00 http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/web http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=2 TITLE IV-D Explained by a 20 year veteran of the Industry We've all heard the nut cases talking about how a corrupt system is trying to steal kids from families, that everything they do is just to collect money for the state, and not to do what is best for kids. We have all heard of these lunatics out there, that never have the proof to back up what they are say. The gull of these people, to think that we could be dooped like this by our State and Federal Governments.Carol Rhodes is a former employee of the State of Michigan Friend of the Family, her job was to collect child support and provide investigations for the collection of child support. She was a state employee for over twenty years. I think that gives her credibility as to how things operate within a state operated collection agency in the State of Michigan.It's safe to say most of these operations are the same, they have federal policies to follow in order to get the block grants that are provided by the feds, they belong to state and regional and National organizations to help each other better themselves in their collection efforts. As an example, David Stillman, the Director of the Washington State Division of Child Support is the current President of Western Interstate Child Support Enforcement Council (WICSEC). (http://www.wicsec.org/aboutUs/aboutUs.asp) Below are their goals, which certainly demonstrates their co-operative effort between the states:To foster interstate, international and tribal cooperation in the enforcement of child support and the establishment of paternity; To facilitate the exchange of knowledge effective in the interstate, international and tribal child support practice and procedures; To provide for regular meetings, training workshops and conferences to discuss, teach and educate its membership in order to achieve continued improvement in the establishment and collection of child support and paternity establishmentAs an employee of the State of Michigan, Carol Rhodes was very familiar with the goals of these organizations. So much, that she had to write a book about the bias and unfair treatments family received as these organizations do a power grab for as much Title IV-D funds from the federal government as they can get. Please watch the following video to develop your own opinion on it. See the video........