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Tennessee Determined to Collect Child Support - Even from the Wrong People

By Janet Langjahr

Some custodial parents get absolutely nowhere trying to collect child support. And they might have the impression that their state could not care less.

Not so of the state of Tennessee.

A Tennessee mother sought child support from the alleged father of her baby.

The state of Tennessee contacted the Illinois resident, a married man expecting a child with his wife, by mail. His pregnant wife saw the mail first.

She told his whole family about it.

The alleged father advised the state of Tennessee that this was a case of mistaken identity. In support of his position, he cited the different middle initials and social security numbers of the presumably real father and himself.

But the state of Tennessee paid him no heed and did not relent in its mission. It next served the alleged father’s employer with a wage garnishment order for child support.

And then the straw that broke the camel’s - alleged father’s - back: the state of Tennessee served his employer with an order to add the child to his health insurance coverage.

All commendably efficient on the part of the state of Tennessee … if they only had the correct father.

But they didn’t.

Which, to their credit, they did eventually realize.

But not before subjecting the alleged father to a good deal of embarrassment, stress and frustration.

As a result, the alleged father filed a lawsuit against the state of Tennessee.

For defamation of character, to the tune of more than $50,000 in damages - plus punitive damages.

One can only wonder whether the state of Tennessee goes after all alleged deadbeat parents with the zeal with which they pursued this alleged father.

Read more in this [Madison County, Illinois] Record article: State of Tennessee sued for seeking child support from wrong man.

Full post as published by Florida Divorce - Child Custody - Domestic Abuse Law on October 14, 2008 (boomark / email).