DADs of Florida

Dads of Florida, Inc.

P. O. Box 550231

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33355-0231

(954) 493-9763      www.dadsofflorida.org

 

December 17, 2005    

Dear Judge Ross:

 

A recurring situation in the Broward Family Court system has been brought to my attention as the President of Dads of Florida, Inc.

 

Once again a judicial assistant within the Family Division unjustly and without provocation denigrated a member of our organization who is a non-custodial father. Non-custodial fathers report this practice to our organization repeatedly as a routine method of treatment, a reoccurring process. The judicial assistants do not seem to take into account the impediment the family court places on a child-father relationship.

 

When the relationship between children and their fathers are obstructed within the confines of the Family Court, and non-custodial fathers make attempts to correct the situation, the fathers should be met with the same level of respect and expedient action as any mother receives from the judicial assistants.  When fathers are simply requesting that the Court do its job and protect the child-parent relationship in an emergency basis, they are only asking what the Florida State Statues and public policies already mandate.

 

Obstruction of a child from access to either parent must not be allowed. It is the Court's duty to ensure, without bias, that this situation is expeditiously corrected when the request is made. The judicial assistants should not let their bias determine the treatment of non-custodial fathers who are filing actions to gain contact with their children. Rather, the assistants should follow the mandates and principles of the Family Courts and the letter of the law in the Florida Statutes. As President of DADs of Florida, I hope that you take our suggestion to properly educate the staff about this issue, so that the judicial assistants will understand that public policy shows no bias to gender.

 

Thank-you for your prompt attention to this matter.  Please contact me if you have any further questions or comments. I hope that by bringing this issue to your attention, we can work together to eliminate the bias and disrespect experienced by fathers who in many circumstances have already been subject to unwarranted emotional and psychological anxiety.

 

Respectfully yours,

Tony Spalding

Tony Spalding

President DADs of Florida

 CC: Florida JQC, Florida Legislature, Gov. Bush. Lt. Gov. Florida Commission on Responsible Fatherhood, Channel 4,6,7,10, Miami Herald, Sun Sentinel