Michigan: "Your choice: pay fine or get married!"

[Sionnach Glic]

A Michigan dad has been told by court to pay for child's birth or wed mom
Published: Monday, January 19, 2009 | 8:39 AM ET
Canadian Press NewsItem/NewsComponent/NewsLines/ByLine

FLINT, Mich. - The state of Michigan is giving a father a choice: pay the medical cost of his daughter's birth or marry the girl's mother.

Gary Johnson was billed $3,800 for the birth of his daughter JaeLyn. Johnson is not married to the child's mother, Rebecca Witt. The Michigan legislature amended the state's paternity act five years ago to waive birthing costs for a father, if he married the child's mother.

A year later, Witt gave birth to JaeLyn. The state paid for the hospital costs because Witt was on Medicaid at the time and is now trying to recover the money.

Jack Battles, the Genesee County Friend of the Court, said the law is an incentive to maintain the sanctity of marriage.

Battles' office enforces paternity rulings, child support and other aspects of family law. He says until Johnson can produce a marriage license, he faces the costs.

Johnson and Witt said they want to marry eventually, but Witt said she wants her marriage date to be her choice.

"I don't think anybody should tell me when to get married," said Witt. "I would like to have a nice wedding, and I can wait for it."

Witt and Johnson said they have been struggling since the state started coming after Johnson for the hospital costs.

Johnson said he was told he would be billed $500 a month and planned to meet with a caseworker to work out a solution.

"Losing just $10 hurts us," said Johnson, who makes $8 an hour at a Grand Blanc-area nursery. "We don't have a car, we don't even have an oven."

Johnson said he understood the state wants to promote marriage for parents but he respects Witt's position. "It's a woman's dream to have the best wedding she can have," he said.

Today's WTF story brought to you by CBC.

[Aaron]

So this couple wants to marry but not right now, the state is essentially blackmailing them into marriage. Guess what they really mean by "protect marriage" is "shotgun wedding". Pure class, pure class.

[Monroe]

wow. Way for the kid to feel loved when they're old enough to understand.

[Aaron]

wow. Way for the kid to feel loved when they're old enough to understand.

I'm not sure I understand whether the parents being married or not would factor into that. I'd certainly be pissed at the state when I was old enough to understand, just because they had the balls to legislate when my folks had to marry.

[Monroe]

wow. Way for the kid to feel loved when they're old enough to understand.

I'm not sure I understand whether the parents being married or not would factor into that. I'd certainly be pissed at the state when I was old enough to understand, just because they had the balls to legislate when my folks had to marry.

Exactly. I have several friends who arent' married but with someone and have a child and they're all happy (well relatively speaking).

[Mark]

I wonder how long they have to stay married for......

[Coalition]

Cue memories of the joke where the husband remarks to his wife on their 50th wedding anniversary, and he comments about if he hadn't married her, he would have gone to jail.

He then remarks that he would have gotten out of jail the day before.

[Aaron]

You know, it kinda defeats the purpose of Medicare if you have to pay it back.