Benjamin Todd Cook - deadbeat - I refuse to call him a Dad or Father Greenville Ohio

Benjamin Todd Cook owes more than $22,000 in back support to his three children. The child support has accumulated over a six year period. As a result in his failure to pay Mr. Cook has a court order in Darke County Ohio requiring him to seek work w/10 employers per week. He must obtain the signature showing proof of application from those 10 companies and turn it into CSEA at his convenience as proof of compliance. This order has been in place for at least four years due to his lack in ability to pay his child support. Although he has held the occasional job paying support payments here and there he has been charged for contempt more than five times for failure to comply with this court order.

NOTE:
Contempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, deems an individual as having been disrespectful of the court, its process, and its invested powers.

To prove contempt, the prosecutor or complainant must prove the four elements of contempt:

1. existence of a lawful order
2. the contemnor's knowledge of the order
3. the contemnor's ability to comply
4. the contemnor's failure to comply

Please note he's only being held in contempt of his failure to SEEK work - NOT for failing to work or failing to pay his support. The court order is pretty black and white 10 employers per week w/signed proof. At each hearing Mr. Cook has again been sentenced to comply with his original order to seek work and/or pay his support. How is he non-contempt? Why has there been no prosecution?

Mr. Cook is a VERY talented and skilled brick mason and is physically capable of doing the work of a brick mason. Mr. Cook chooses to "pursue his career in music" as opposed to working any entry level position which has a dependable income or even working as a brick mason.

Less than a week after his most recent contempt hearing (November 2008) Mr. Cook fled to South Carolina and is currently in contempt for the 6th+ time again only in contempt of his failure to comply with the seek work order nothing else however, he must be served w/paperwork by Darke County CSEA before the magistrate can sentence him again when he appears or issue a second bench warrant for failure to appear. Until then my children's opportunity to get the support they deserve is on hold and I'll continue to struggle in solely supporting a household and raising three children.

Currently Mr. Cook is traveling across the US and was last known to be in San Diego, CA with a female companion from South Carolina named Christy - "pursuing his career in music". Should you happen to read this and possibly pass him on the street to witness him "proceeding" in his career in music - ask him if he's written any songs about three fatherless children in need of financial support.

This is why I feel Darke County CSEA, Darke County Court System, specifically the Magistrate, Ohio Judicial System AND Ben Cook have ripped off my children.

Denise
GREENVILLE, Ohio
U.S.A.