Monday, November 20, 2006
DRUG SCREEN OVERHAUL SOUGHT
A recent article* in the Charleston Post and Courier informs us that a "committee of Lowcountry lawyers is studying ways to better regulate court use of drug screeners, whose findings play a crucial role in child custody battles and other sensitive cases." While we commend this group of lawyers for their efforts, we think there are are other areas of the Family Court System in South Carolina where reform is needed. For example:
A recent article* in the Charleston Post and Courier informs us that a "committee of Lowcountry lawyers is studying ways to better regulate court use of drug screeners, whose findings play a crucial role in child custody battles and other sensitive cases." While we commend this group of lawyers for their efforts, we think there are are other areas of the Family Court System in South Carolina where reform is needed. For example:
- Why shouldn't fathers be allowed to utilize DNA Testing to overcome the statutory presumption of legitimacy?
- Why hasn't the South Carolina Legislature created a standard Order of Expungement and Destruction of Arrest Records regarding cases in which findings of Civil Contempt have been reversed on Appeal?
- Why isn't shared or joint parenting (joint custody) the standard practice in South Carolina rather than the "Exception to the Rule?"
- Why hasn't the State of South Carolina created an effective computer system to track child support arrearages?
- Why aren't contemnors afforded the opportunity to purge themselves of contempt prior to being fingerprinted, booked, and jailed?
- Why isn't the child support payment processing fee the same for everyone in South Carolina?
- Why aren't Family Court Judges provided with law clerks to assist them in handling their enormous caseloads?
*http://www.charleston.net/assets/webPages/departmental/news/default_pf.aspx?NEWSID=119260
