Please Help Arkansas Dad Get Fair Ruling

Unwed Fathers in the state of Arkansas face a staggering uphill battle to be an influence in their child's life. The particular situation I'm raising money for involves a child born to two parents that lived together for the first 6 years of the child's life. Both contributed to the household, both contributed to raising the child. The father kept the child during the day that the mother worked 12 hour shifts as he was self employed most of that time. Their relationship was temultuos and he knew it would never last but couldn't leave in fear of the awful things that have become a reality at this very moment. The woman had a child from before also that this man raised since she was two as her biological father was completely out of the picture. There was no doubt in his mind he would lose all contact with his daughter if he dissolved the relationship with her mother. He was 100% correct. He has lost her. Forever. The mother remarried fairly quickly within the first 6 months after the separation. At this point all contact with the girl was severed and also things started to get more and more difficult in regards to seeing his son. Since no official child support was set the father paid for things as his child's mother dictated. He paid her electric bill when it was going to get shut off, he paid for both kids summer camps, he paid and shopped for school supplies, school clothes, etc. If the father argued with the mother about which things were necessary or anything really, she threatened to keep their son from him. This was all a classic mistake as not one dime was counted toward the year for support in the recent court ruling. When the mother found out that the father had began a relationship with someone new, as in likely an endless amount of similar stories, things got really bad. She eventually cut off all contact between him and his son. He was able to see him once a week from mostly afar at football practice. Some practices she didn't even let him get a hug. After about 2 months the father had rounded up enough money to go to a lawyer. She was served papers after another few weeks. Suddenly she allowed him a couple of visits and then once again terminated them claiming she was "advised not to by her lawyer" the fathers lawyer petitioned the court for an emergency hearing to establish paternity and attempt to get the father some kind of temporary visitation in place. The mother came forth with some very short convenient times for her over the upcoming holidays and every other weekend stating that she felt it was important for her son to spend time with his father but that she had been withholding him in fear that he would not be returned. Never not once was the father late over the previous year to pick up or drop off his son. Never did he not answer a call from her when he had their son. She had began her epic performance in front of the judge as the victim. The trial date was set for a few months from then and therefore no other holidays were scheduled in this temporary order of visitation. Over the next few months many many things were submitted from both sides in the form of text messages, pictures, bank statements, etc. The father spent countless hours to organize information showing he had supported his son as well as raised him over the last now seven years. She spent countless hours preparing for her performance, carefully mapping out a web of lies to ensure this father would be out of the way and that she could carry on with her new family and erase him forever as she did with her daughter. February rolled around for the court date. Right off the bat, her lawyer asked for back child support for the past 7 years. The law could have supported this seeing as they were not married. She insinuated that he was "allowed" to stay at "her" residence for 6 years and he paid bills and bought groceries etc essentially in lieu of paying rent to her. She then proceeded to tell the court that the very man she entrusted to care for both of her children from daylight until dark many days out of the week for 6 years was a dangerous crazy man full of rage and not fit to be a parent. Supervised visitation was even suggested. The trial was extended for another day and that day was pushed out eventually until May. The father got to see his son every other weekend, but none for spring break. None for Easter. The judge just let the temporary order continue with no amendment for holidays. The second part of the trial concluded in May and a ruling was put into place a week ago. This father who asked for 50/50 joint custody was awarded a scant version of "standard" visitation. Her lawyer suggested that because of his "raging anger" issues he wasn't capable of caring for the child more than two nights. He got a few holidays on even and odd years, two nights Christmas vacation, two nights every other spring break. No summer visitation at all. The best part is that he also gets to pay her attorney fees. He paid handsomely to even see his son at all, and now that amount just got doubled, close to $20,000. She got to hand pick when she wanted him to have their son, she gets to call all the shots, and isn't out a dime. This is the most disgusting "justice" I have ever seen. This man works very hard and loves his son more than anything. It tears him apart that another man is influencing his son far more than he. All he wanted was for it to be equal. He never wanted to take his son away from his mother. Pure spitefulness has resulted in a very bleak reality for this man. If he does not appeal this ruling, it's very likely that he may not see his son at all eventually. She has literally had everything go her way thus far and her ultimate goal is to erase him from her sons life. It might be a matter of a couple more lies away from him paying child support and thousands to her in attorney fees and losing what little visitation he's been granted. The appeals lawyer has a flat fee of $12,000. This desperate father who is newly married with a new step daughter will be selling everything he can to try to pay for this appeal. It is very time sensative and $4000 must be paid in the next two weeks. If anyone would like to help this father appeal this very unfair ruling please donate. This case could possibly set a presidence for other fathers in the same type of struggle in Arkansas. Something has to be done about our judicial system for unwed fathers. They start out in a mile deep hole to begin with to even get a fraction of the rights the mothers have. Please help and thank you so much for taking the time to read this.

Funded Justice