Getting Answers : Child Support: ‘I Have Court Orders; Why Do My Kids Suffer?’

LORIA LOPEZ

West Covina

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When Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti was elected, he made a big deal about his intention to collect from deadbeat dads and help abused women. But it seems to me that Garcetti and his office have forgotten about people like me.

I was a victim of spousal abuse. Unlike other women, I got out in time. In August, 1993, I filed for divorce from my husband, who had been abusive and abandoned me and my three children in 1992. Since then I have had to support my children with waitressing and temporary jobs.

I first contacted the district attorney’s office in September, 1993, to help enforce a court order for child support issued by the Superior Court of Pomona against my husband. The district attorney’s office requested that I complete documents to reopen my cases, which were assigned to a caseworker in the family support division. I turned over every document given to me by the courts so that the authorities could enforce wage attachment at my husband’s family-owned business. The employer has refused to comply.

Another caseworker suggested that I rush down to the family support division to sign paperwork to issue a warrant for my ex-husband’s arrest. Nothing has ever come of that, though I missed a half-day of work when I could not afford it.

I contacted my caseworker in November, 1993, to provide phone numbers, addresses, friends, relatives, work information and pictures of the place of employment. She assured me that all we needed to do was send away for a certified copy of my documents from Superior Court. I questioned this, since I had already given copies to her. She said, “We have to have them certified from the court.” I again asked, “How long will this take as we don’t have any money to live on?” Her response: “One month. We’ll notify you when they have arrived.”

Approximately three months later, I called and was told “We have not yet received the documents we need.” My case bounced from one representative to another, at least four people. During the last year I have spoken to all of these individuals and not one person has actually done anything on my case that I can detect. On Sept. 6, I called again and spoke with a caseworker who said she knew nothing of my case and remarked, “We have sent away for certified copies of court documents and we have not received them yet.” I requested to speak to her supervisor. I again explained my ordeal: I am a single mother who would rather work than give up and go on welfare. I pay taxes. I pay for my children’s medical and daily needs. I have court orders and have given them all that they need to prosecute and still my children get nothing.

Mr. Garcetti, why should my children suffer because your political limelight has shifted? My little boy suffers from anemia and his father has been seen riding new motorcycles and driving newly purchased cars. County investigators say there’s nothing they can do for me.

I have attempted to get an address where I could write to Garcetti. Everyone I communicated with only told me that I had to go through a chain of command. However I am not in the military, I am a private citizen to whom Garcetti promised help. I am requesting again that help. At least share in my anger when I have to tell my babies they can’t have something because mommy doesn’t have any money.

The D.A.’s Office Responds

BARBARA CATLOW

Assistant director, Los Angeles District Attorney’s Bureau of Family Support Operations

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I recognize that you have yet to receive child support. However, a review of your case reveals that the two pages of the court order that were missing from the documents you originally provided us have since been obtained and we can now proceed.

Representative Maria Cabrera will be contacting you to make an appointment to sign the papers necessary for further action. She will make every effort to accommodate your schedule. In addition, the case has been submitted to the California Franchise Tax Board Child Support Collection Program for collection of all back child support and money owed plus interest.

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti’s office operates the largest local child-support program in the United States. The Bureau of Family Support Operations opens close to 9,000 cases per month and has a current caseload exceeding 615,000--one-third of California’s total. At the close of fiscal year 1994, the bureau collected more than $160 million, up more than $27 million from the previous fiscal year. We are installing a state-of-the-art computer system with the capacity to handle our growing caseload more effectively. Set to go on-line Jan. 17 it will automatically search for absent parents and handle thousands of calls to free up caseworkers.

Should you encounter any difficulty in communicating with your caseworker, you may contact that person’s supervisor or one of the public inquiry coordinators in each of the bureau’s five regional division offices. If you need the name and phone number of a supervisor or coordinator, call the bureau’s Public Inquiry Unit at (213) 728-1000.