November 2, 2015
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Kenya N Rahmaan
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Here is a recap for all unfamiliar with Michigan native Carnell Alexander and his paternity fraud case. Carnell became a victim of the child support system after an ex-girlfriend named him as the father of her child while applying for public assistance. One of the mandates for women (some men) applying for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is to sue for child support. There were several issues with the child support lawsuit that the government has failed to correct in over two decades. One major problem is that when a person is sued in a civil case in any suit, the jurisdiction must adequately notify them about the charges against them. Michigan rules state that a complaint in a civil case (whether filed in a circuit, district, or probate court) must be served on each defendant named in the case, along with a summons issued by the clerk of the court (Michigan Courts). Even though the state produced signed documentation supporting proof of service, the state was fraudulent in that claim of service.
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Mr. Alexander had indisputable proof that he could not have possibly legally served the summons and the complaint over twenty years ago. He did not reside at the address listed on the court documents. Further, he was incarcerated on the exact date that the process server listed on the proof of service paperwork. The second problem with the child support case against Mr. Alexander is that once he was notified of the accusations of fatherhood, he submitted a DNA test which determined that he was not the father. These two extraordinary factors did not deter the state of Michigan from naming Mr. Alexander a ‘dad by default’ and enforcing child support punishments against him.
Over the years, Mr. Alexander has been subject to wage garnishments, tax offsets, license suspensions, arrest warrants, and, eventually, incarceration. Mr. Alexander humbly told Kim Russel of WXYZ Detroit (2015) that he was ‘almost homeless, almost in jail’ as he stood in line outside the courthouse, unaware of his being allowed to leave after seeing the judge. After the story became international news in early 2015, the Michigan Attorney General, Bill Schuette, filed documents to dismiss the child support case in its entirety. Unfortunately, AG Schuette refused to dismiss the $30,000 plus debt that the state accused Mr. Alexander of owing in child support arrearages. Still, under the extreme stress of owing tens of thousands of dollars for a child, he did not father and the fear of losing his freedom daily, Mr. Alexander continued his fight for justice.
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Due to his tireless crusade with the assistance of his attorneys, Cherika Harrison and Barry Franklin Keller, and myself, a small victory can be declared in the case of the state of Michigan vs. Carnell Alexander. On October 9, 2015, Mr. Alexander received notice from officials that stated that the $30,000 plus in arrears allegedly owed by this ‘dad by default’ had been completely erased. Unfortunately, the state forgave arrears under fraudulent circumstances. Not only does the state charge that Mr. Alexander requested the arrears be erased in writing (something that he vehemently denies), the officials state that the arrears are being erased due to Mr. Alexander’s ‘extremely difficult situation.’ Once again, the state officials have erred in their execution of a court proceeding, forged government documents, and refused to admit any wrongdoing in this severe and unprecedented case. Although Mr. Alexander says that he is relieved with the debt forgiveness, he is dismayed by Michigan refusing to admit the mistakes made during his case.
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He hopes that his situation will force the government to introduce and implement legislation to prevent what has happened to him from happening to anyone else. He feels that his work is incomplete and will lead the fight to reform the child support system, especially for men declared ‘dads by default.’ To assist other men who may be victims of paternity fraud and ordered to be a ‘dad by default,’ Mr. Alexander has founded The Carnell Alexander Foundation. He plans on helping men pay for DNA tests when they cannot afford to pay themselves and are 100% positive that they are not biological fathers. Mr. Alexander works in conjunction with The Reform Child Support NOW! Movement. The Reform Child Support NOW! Movement is a grassroots organization that advocates for child support reform while assisting people with various issues encountered when dealing with child support enforcement agencies.
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If you or someone you know is dealing with paternity fraud issues, contact Carnell Alexander at 313-939-3447.
References:
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Michigan Courts. (n.d.). Serving court papers. Retrieved from courts.mi.gov/self-help/center/general-information/pages/serving-court-papers.aspx
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p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.5; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”>Russell, K. (2015, February 17). Judge says man must pay $30K in child support for kid who is not his. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
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