Folks,
Here's a letter I sent to the Co-Chair of the Citizen's Commission, Will Abbott, along with a copy of the report of the Commission to Study Child Support and Related Custody Issues.
Paul
3 Skyline Dr.
Concord, NH 03303
pclem@juno.com

May 28, 2005

Mr. Will Abbott
Lincoln Rd.
Holderness, NH 03245

Dear Mr. Abbott,

As you are probably by now aware, there is some degree of consternation among the fathers of NH regarding the assignment of the Citizen’s Commission on NH State Courts. We, the members of the commission, have been charged with reviewing several documents, among which is the report of the Family Law Task Force. This task force, overweighed as it was with divorce industry insiders, spent four months discussing domestic violence, but only one week studying shared custody and child support.
What you should know is that the state profits to the tune of $16 Million a year from collecting child support from fathers who are separated by the courts from their children. In addition, the courts are paid over $2 Million a year by the child support collection agency. This symbiotic relationship creates a partnership which has, for decades, opposed shared custody and reform of the child support system. Their report reflects that bias. So heavy handed was their opposition, that they disallowed any minority opinion which countered that perspective. The Supreme Court, in designing the Citizens’ Commission, obviously supported that perspective as well. As you know, the Task Force report is on the table for discussion, but not the report of the Commission on Child Support, Custody, and Related Matters. We believe that is because the Child Support Commission report runs counter to the perspective of the task force. What more proof would an average citizen need to disparage the courts, than to know that a concurrent report which more accurately reflects the general publics' feelings is being suppressed? Indeed, the more than two dozen court survey’s which I’ve collected are unanimous in their distrust of the courts.

I am enclosing a copy of the report of the Commission to Study Child Support and Related Custody Issues for your perusal. I’m sure you will find it a thorough and comprehensive document. You will find their conclusions stated in confident terms. Those conclusions strongly favor shared physical custody and reform of the child support system. Having read it, I’m sure you will see why divorce industry profiteers, such as peopled the Task Force, are reluctant to have this report widely read.
However, if the Citizen’s Commission is to be honest and diligent in going about it’s assigned task, this report must be considered. I therefore recommend that this report be reproduced for every member of the Citizen’s Commission to read and mull over.



Sincerely,



Paul M. Clements
Member of the Commission