Michigan - Wayne County glitches tracking child support payments prompts Friend of the Court audit

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Grassroots Information Coordination Center (GICC) : One Thread

Thursday, March 9, 2000

Court complaints pile up

Gripes about unpaid and uncredited child support prompt Friend of the Court audit By David Josar / The Detroit News [Michigan] DETROIT -- Wayne County officials are preparing to audit how the Friend of the Court does business after receiving repeated complaints about unpaid and uncredited child support.

"It's kind of a mess," said county Commissioner Kathleen Husk of Redford Township, who initiated the investigation. "We want to have someone go in there and find out what's happening."

Wayne County Auditor Brendan Dunleavy has already taken the first step to get an accounting of how Friend of the Court operates.

Court administrators have said they would let Dunleavy's staff review financial data, but so far have balked at allowing auditors to examine how well their programs work.

Friend of the Court, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Wayne County Circuit Court, primarily handles children-oriented matters such as paternity issues and support payments.

"We want to get a full understanding of how they operate," Dunleavy told the county Commission's Audit Committee on Wednesday.

Husk said it will be several months before Dunleavy completes his review.

Dunleavy believes that his staff is allowed to conduct a full audit and said that he is working with commission counsel Ben Washburn to research the law concerning his access to Friend of the Court records.

Violet Leonard, director of internal audits for Wayne County Circuit Court, said she believes that under state law, the county can only review the program's finances and not how well it operates.

Commissioners have been inundated with stories in recent months from people having Friend of the Court problems, Husk said.

Sam Reed of Orion Township said dealing with Friend of the Court can be "like a never-ending nightmare."

At least twice a year, Reed said, the $350 a month he gives to Friend of the Court never makes it to his wife and two teen-aged daughters, who live in Plymouth.

"I pay like clockwork and my wife knows I pay like clockwork," said Reed, a Ford engineer.

To solve the problem, Reed said he has to retrieve copies of canceled checks and write the court. "It's a waste of everybody's time."

Earlier this year, court administrator Alexander Luvall acknowledged to the commission that Friend of the Court does have glitches in its operations and is struggling to find answers.

"We know they're trying to solve these problems," said Commissioner Kay Beard, chairwoman of the audit committee.

Sharon Costas, 41, receives support payments for three children ages 5, 7 and 9, but said the payments can be erratic.

"I know their fathers are making the payments, but I never know when I can expect the check," said Costas, a carpenter. "It makes planning my monthly budget very difficult."

http://www.detnews.com/search/navi.htm

-- Lee Maloney (leemaloney@hotmail.com), March 12, 2000


Moderation questions? read the FAQ