The group criticizes courts for focusing more on child support than visitation.
After his divorce, Dan Wilson of Chesterfield Township wanted simply to see his two sons - not necessarily to become a crusader.
Now his struggles - legal, financial and emotional - have become a cause in Macomb County.
Wilson, 45, has started a group called 'Parents for Children', which is intended to give non-custodial parents a foothold in the system, which he says is more concerned about collecting money, than with helping divorced families.
'They're demanding child support, but they won't let us see our children', he said of some ex-spouses and the legal system.
His group, which has 10 members, is not the only one for divorced fathers and non-custodial parents - so he's trying to give 'Parents for Children' a special focus.
One of its targets is: Macomb County Circuit Judge John Bruff, who Wilson says has penalized non-custodial parents for overdue support, while virtually ignoring those same parents pleas to see their children. 'It seems that he's harder than anyone else', Wilson said. 'Judges like Judge Bruff turn a cold shoulder to the children'.
Bruff disagreed with the criticism, saying the system offers recourse for non-custodial parents in visitation cases.
'All the judges up here believe that visitation is important', he said. 'I don't think their allegation is correct that all we do is focus on child support'. Bruff said he hears visitation cases every Monday - 'and most of them I enforce right then and there'.
After his divorce, Wilson said, he had joint custody and paid child support as ordered. Eventually, his ex-wife wouldn't let him have his scheduled visitation, so he missed out on time with his two boys.
Once when he tried to visit, his ex-wife had him arrested.
He subsequently lost his job and fell behind on child support, although he's now caught up.
'I'm not angry, but at this point in my life, it's gone', he said of seeing his boys grow up. 'My one son is gone to me'.
Wilson and others say courts should enforce make-up visitation time, as they do child support debts.
'The biggest problem with the system itself is it's adversarial system', said Robert Brown, 31, of Roseville, a member of Wilson's group. 'They pit one parent against the other'.
Bruff agreed with the critics that the adversarial nature of the system is at fault. "There should be a lot more consensus and reconciliation", he said. 'You really need someone to talk directly to the parties'.
- THE DETROIT NEWS - Monday, July 21, 1997
