Man pays for county's mistake in child-support case

[safan80]

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/ind...mistake_i.html

this is a big WTF

by PETE SHELLEM, Of The Patriot-News
Saturday November 15, 2008, 10:32 PM

When Walter Andre Sharpe Jr. signed for a certified letter from Dauphin County Domestic Relations in 2001, he didn't know he was signing on for a seven-year nightmare. Since then, the Philadelphia man has been thrown in jail four times, lost his job, become estranged from his four children and spent more than $12,000 to support the child of another man.

It finally stopped in May 2007 when a judge reversed a finding that he was the father. But the same judge has since ruled that Sharpe is not entitled to any compensation, not even the money he was forced to pay to support the child.

Sharpe's attorney, Tabetha Tanner, said the county Domestic Relations office "stole" Sharpe's identity by exchanging his date of birth, address and Social Security number for that of the father.

The agency fought Sharpe's attempts to have DNA testing and said it determined he was the father "after reasonable investigation."

Yet it took The Patriot-News less than an hour to track down the real father, Andre Sharpe, who said the girl that Walter Sharpe has been paying support for has been living with him for the last four years.

But in court papers, Domestic Relations blamed Walter Sharpe, a former trash collector, for not filing the proper motions in court to "disestablish paternity."

"What type of investigation were they doing if you can track this guy down in less than eight hours?" Walter Sharpe asked. "It just pisses me off. I tried my best to clear myself of this case, and it fell on deaf ears. It's like I'm guilty until proven innocent. I'm just another man crying, 'I don't know this person. I don't have their kid.' It's a routine they're just used to."

For the complete story, click here.

[SpazBoy357]

Gee, a government agency that ed up and then refused to acknowledge it?!?!? I just can't believe it

[Omastar]

Gee, a government agency that ed up and then refused to acknowledge it?!?!? I just can't believe it

I know! The whole world's gone topsy-turvy. Typical 'nail the guy' mindset when it comes to child support and paternity drama, EVEN IF IT'S THE WRONG GODDAMNED GUY.

[YukonTrooper]

I've read some pretty shady things about Domestic Relations in various places. Organizations with absolutely no transparency.

[[XC] riptide]

I know! The whole world's gone topsy-turvy. Typical 'nail the guy' mindset when it comes to child support and paternity drama, EVEN IF IT'S THE WRONG GODDAMNED GUY.

He's a man... so he must be bad... mindset.

[Omastar]

He's a man... so he must be bad... mindset.

Yep. Exactly.

[Omastar]

I've read some pretty shady things about Domestic Relations in various places. Organizations with absolutely no transparency.

Yeah, and nonexistent external regulation.

[HawaiianSupermn]

I'd donate a dollar to this man's cause.

[Serra]

I'm not usually someone who supports this avenue, but this kind of thing seems to be what lawsuits were invented for.

[MikeB12]

govt agencies suk. their mindset is "we are the govt, we work on our own time frame, and we are always right no matter what the evidence says, if we even bother to look at it"...

I had medical insurance through the gov and it took me a year and a half to get approved for my liver/kidney transplant... the whole time the docs said I wouldn't make it and there's absolutely no reason why it should be denied. the docs wrote dozens of letters qualifying me for it as terminal.. and the gov just kept sending letters back saying I didn't qualify and I was considered healthy enough to not qualify... later I found out even my early blood report results met the criteria to qualify, the letters from all the docs stating I was terminal weren't even necessary. but because some asswipe pencil pusher didn't even read the bloodlabs or letters, they kept denying me. finally, after a year and a half it took a friend of a friend that knew the senator to put pressure on them to review the case in detail. and I was immediately approved.. by then I was so sick I was getting about 10 liters of fluid drained off my gut each week and on the brink of not being operable... luckily the docs that had been with me through out this were understanding enoough to really egt involved and make the transplant happen. otherwise I would have been dead.. by the time it finally happened I was bed ridden in a hosptial and couldn't even walk across the room without collapsing... all because of some typical gov lazy BS delay.

[cabbspapp]

What a fine country we live in.

[Jochenp]

Don't worry. Everything is going to CHANGE.

[Omastar]

Don't worry. Everything is going to CHANGE.

OBAMA: Yes, we can't!

[Sparky]

Don't worry. Everything is going to CHANGE.

heh...yeah. The direction is questionable however

[MikeB12]

urban term for the day:

"SLICK and SLIDE" - one user posts a comment, greasing the runway for a hijack

THE SLICK:

Don't worry. Everything is going to CHANGE.

AND

THE SLIDE:

OBAMA: Yes, we can't!

[YukonTrooper]

heh...yeah. The direction is questionable however

I don't think Obama is the second coming of Christ as some envision him, but any direction is better than the last 8 years of "direction."

[Omastar]

I don't think Obama is the second coming of Christ as some envision him, but any direction is better than the last 8 years of "direction."

Things could always be worse.

"Secure your Vault today, and prepare for the future."

[Sparky]

I don't think Obama is the second coming of Christ as some envision him, but any direction is better than the last 8 years of "direction."

I'd be careful saying that. Things can always go worse.

But we're at a risk of getting into politics. Better stop now.... *zips mouth closed*

[YukonTrooper]

Things could always be worse.

I'd be careful saying that. Things can always go worse.

Yup, but four years of the same would get us there faster.

[Omastar]

Yup, but four years of the same would get us there faster.

'Us'? You live in Canada.

[Jochenp]

urban term for the day:

"SLICK and SLIDE" - one user posts a comment, greasing the runway for a hijack

THE SLICK:

AND

THE SLIDE:

Great
I'd have to admit I post my share of slicks
I like to see it as a playful push, the kind where you don't know what to expect from the other person

[SpazBoy357]

I had medical insurance through the gov and it took me a year and a half to get approved for my liver/kidney transplant... the whole time the docs said I wouldn't make it and there's absolutely no reason why it should be denied. the docs wrote dozens of letters qualifying me for it as terminal.. and the gov just kept sending letters back saying I didn't qualify and I was considered healthy enough to not qualify... later I found out even my early blood report results met the criteria to qualify, the letters from all the docs stating I was terminal weren't even necessary. but because some asswipe pencil pusher didn't even read the bloodlabs or letters, they kept denying me. finally, after a year and a half it took a friend of a friend that knew the senator to put pressure on them to review the case in detail. and I was immediately approved.. by then I was so sick I was getting about 10 liters of fluid drained off my gut each week and on the brink of not being operable... luckily the docs that had been with me through out this were understanding enoough to really egt involved and make the transplant happen. otherwise I would have been dead.. by the time it finally happened I was bed ridden in a hosptial and couldn't even walk across the room without collapsing... all because of some typical gov lazy BS delay.

Man, that does suck. Glad it worked out for you in the end, but that's the kind of stuff that sends people over the edge.

On a lighter note, this thread reminded me of a REALLY old joke about the three biggest lies in the world:

1) The check is in the mail
2) I promise, I'll pull out.
3) I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

[[XC] riptide]

'Us'? You live in Canada.

Easy to fix... Invade Canada.

[hawkeyefan]

Things could always be worse.

"Secure your Vault today, and prepare for the future."

Like resurrecting the ghost of FDR? *shudders*

If the Chosen One is FDR to 43's Hoover, things are going to get a ton worse before they get any better. Let's hope it doesn't take another Pearl Harbor to yank us out of this one.

Easy to fix... Invade Canada.

[YukonTrooper]

Easy to fix... Invade Canada.

First, they'd have to find Canada on a map. "I personally believe that US Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don't have maps and I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and the Iraq everywhere like such as and I believe that...."

Anyways, even if they managed to get here, we have Mountie polar bear cavalry. The Yanks wouldn't stand a chance. After we were done with those hicks, our elite submarine and Sea King helicopter squads would follow the rainbow to Ireland. Hahaha, run in ph34r, little leprechaun men!