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DETROIT — A Michigan man ordered to pay child support for a kid that isn’t his received another shocker Tuesday, when an appeals judge upheld the ruling mandating he pay $30,000 in back child support to his ex, ABC 7 reports.
The story starts in the 1990s when Carnell Alexander was told during a routine traffic stop that he owed thousands in back child support. Alexander, however, was confused because he didn’t have any kids. Only after an arrest did he learn he was listed as a father by default when an ex-girlfriend claimed him as her child’s father so she could apply for welfare benefits.
Court documents show the incident was compounded when a process-server claimed to deliver a notice of a hearing at Alexander’s home. But Alexander disputes this claim.
“How can you start a case with a lie?” Alexander asked ABC7. “The mom lied. The process server lied. Now I have to pay for it.”
On Tuesday, ABC 7 reports that Alexander went to court to fix the issue. But Third Judicial Circuit Court Judge Kathleen McCarthy became upset at Alexander for waiting for so long, only attempting to fix the child support issue after more than 20 years.
“I am outraged that Mr. Alexander for two and a half decades failed to take this matter seriously,” said Judge Kathleen McCarthy, ABC7 reports.
The judge ultimately ruled that Alexander must pay because the case is more than two and a half decades old, far outreaching the typical three years allotted to file an appeal.
Alexander said he tried over the years to correct the issue, saying he initially filed a motion claiming he was not the father. Alexander told ABC7 that he even tried to locate the mother and get a DNA test, but that the address the court gave him was not accurate.
“Somebody should have helped him,”his current attorney Cherika Harris told ABC7. “To continue to harass and burden him to pay for a child that is not his, when they know who the real father is now, I don’t understand this.”
Harris told ABC7 that she intends to file another motion to reduce Alexander’s debt.
Alexander said he realizes he might owe money according to the law but doesn’t believe it’s right.
“The law is not going to fit into everybody’s situation,” Alexander told ABC7. “Why don’t they use common sense?”
Josh
Disbarred Kathleen McCarthy.
Josh
Disbar. [sic] auto correct.
Junior
Weird… A female judge found a reason to screw over a perfectly innocent man by making him pay a $30k debt that isn’t his, and her reason was because he waited too long??? WTH? IT WAS NOT HIS KID! Child Support laws are out of control and all cases need to be reviewed on a individual basis. I was also screwed by a lie that I had to fight in court. The sad part is even after the court found that my ex had falsified all the documents they didn’t punish her in any way. He should not have to pay any money, and they should drag the mother of the child into court and give her a fine and ask her why she lied. Bottom line is the only real reason why the state is pursuing this is because the money is now owed to the state. They are not giving the mother any of the money because they have already paid her in the form of state assistance.
Christopher Mangold
Makes NO sense whatsoever!
Diablo Pedo
That just ain’t right, punish the innocent and reward the welfare scammer.
first and ted
She’s pissed, because he took to long??? What kind judge is this???
Ron Winter
File a Affidavit and Motion for Change of Judge: Clearly this judge is prejudiced, acting with bias, knowingly punishing an innocent man, is somewhat of an ass, and should therefore be removed.
dg54321
Female judge. Male petitioner. Family Court is a joke, and completely biased against men. And women wonder why men are opting out of marriage and kids? Why take that risk when everything can be taken from you with one word from a woman?
normalisboringsoiheard
Nice to know California isn’t the only state where judgements make no sense what so ever! It’s cross country, how sad.
Steve
so the mother gets child support, back child support, and still is on welfare most likely under falsified documents. wow
Kenneth Briggs
so where is the kids mother at ? and who is the read father , make him pay up now .
David Stinnett
Poor guy assumed that since he was right, he would be ok. The Judge thinks that Legal technicality trumps right and wrong.
Neverson Heatley III (@nevheatley3)
That’s not a legal technicality. That’s just her application of what she feels should be going on.
Ted Adderly
This judge is a complete idiot!
Kenneth Mason
The Courts use Common Sense, You have to be Dreaming
TaylorThought
The judge’s professional information is online. My suggestion, call, write, email and inform this judge of her insidiousness. Put some pressure against this ignorance.
Denythelie
As a woman, I have to say that this is completely shameful. Get this sorry excuse of a judge removed from the case. Hold this criminal, who calls herself a mother, accountable. Things such as these should NOT be happening!!! The system is badly broken….😡
Matt
https://www.change.org/p/michigan-supreme-court-suspend-pending-evaluation-and-disbarment-proceedings-judge-kathleen-mccarthy?just_created=true