What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida
Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read this.
I have a child support case in Broward County, FL and due to delinquency in payments I was attending regular contempt of court hearings (they basically had me checking in every 3 months).
At the time I was making my payments and attending hearings by phone because I had just started a job around the time the hearings became necessary and I was working out of state. I attended every hearing without fail until October of last year.
I called the judge's office on Wednesday, Oct. 28 as per the instructions on my legal notice and I left a message on the voicemail with my name and callback number informing that I was calling to schedule a hearing by phone for Friday, Oct. 30.
The judicial assistant, Karen, called me back Wednesday afternoon, verified my name AND callback number (the VERY SAME number she had just used to call me back to verify my hearing) and informed me that they would call Friday between 9am and 12pm for my hearing.
Friday came, I sat by the phone until 2pm and there was no call. I immediately called the judge's office, left my name and phone number on voicemail once again and Karen called me back about an hour later. I informed her that I had not received my call for my hearing and she told me that they did not have the correct phone number on file (despite the fact that she had called me AT the number and CONFIRMED the phone number and my hearing two days prior on Wednesday).
She told me that a writ for my arrest would be issued and if I went to an office in broward and paid a $334.17 purge fee they would recall the warrant. I did not have the money and even if I did getting to Broward to pay it before the warrant cleared was impossible for me.
I followed the instructions on my legal notice the same way I have done in the past since this Contempt of Court case was first brought forth. I called their office 48 hours in advance, provided my name and phone number in a VOICEMAIL, spoke with the judge's assistant when she called back (proving I gave the proper phone number) and for whatever reason SHE either lost my number, ignored adding the information to my file, or made a clerical error in recording the number.
I can prove via phone records that I called their office on Wednesday, Oct. 28 and on Friday, Oct. 30 and I can also prove via those same phone records that I RECEIVED calls BACK from their office on Wednesday AND Friday at the phone number which Karen claims they do not have on record.
I know that I am involved in a VERY serious legal issue here and I have cooperated and been as forthcoming as possible since my Contempt of Court case was brought forward. An error has been made on the court's behalf and I desperately need to know how to get it fixed.
I sent a certified letter to the judge, care of the clerk of court, explaining the situation. It was received, signed for and never answered.
I've tried contacting broward's Public defender office but they can only help if I am in jail, in court, or able to come downtown with an application fee at which point they still might not even be able to help.
I have been trying to figure this out for a year now, I have been unable to work and unable to find a new job with this warrant pending and I was near ready to give up when I had the idea to ask a legal forum. I desperately need your help.
I am looking at up to SIX MONTHS in jail for something that is not my fault.
Can someone please point me in the right direction and tell me what step I take from here...? What form do you fill out when the judicial system makes a mistake that turns you into a wanted criminal...?
Thank you for any help you may be able offer and thank you again for taking the time to read this.
Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read this.
I have a child support case in Broward County, FL and due to delinquency in payments I was attending regular contempt of court hearings (they basically had me checking in every 3 months).
At the time I was making my payments and attending hearings by phone because I had just started a job around the time the hearings became necessary and I was working out of state. I attended every hearing without fail until October of last year.
I called the judge's office on Wednesday, Oct. 28 as per the instructions on my legal notice and I left a message on the voicemail with my name and callback number informing that I was calling to schedule a hearing by phone for Friday, Oct. 30.
The judicial assistant, Karen, called me back Wednesday afternoon, verified my name AND callback number (the VERY SAME number she had just used to call me back to verify my hearing) and informed me that they would call Friday between 9am and 12pm for my hearing.
Friday came, I sat by the phone until 2pm and there was no call. I immediately called the judge's office, left my name and phone number on voicemail once again and Karen called me back about an hour later. I informed her that I had not received my call for my hearing and she told me that they did not have the correct phone number on file (despite the fact that she had called me AT the number and CONFIRMED the phone number and my hearing two days prior on Wednesday).
She told me that a writ for my arrest would be issued and if I went to an office in broward and paid a $334.17 purge fee they would recall the warrant. I did not have the money and even if I did getting to Broward to pay it before the warrant cleared was impossible for me.
I followed the instructions on my legal notice the same way I have done in the past since this Contempt of Court case was first brought forth. I called their office 48 hours in advance, provided my name and phone number in a VOICEMAIL, spoke with the judge's assistant when she called back (proving I gave the proper phone number) and for whatever reason SHE either lost my number, ignored adding the information to my file, or made a clerical error in recording the number.
I can prove via phone records that I called their office on Wednesday, Oct. 28 and on Friday, Oct. 30 and I can also prove via those same phone records that I RECEIVED calls BACK from their office on Wednesday AND Friday at the phone number which Karen claims they do not have on record.
I know that I am involved in a VERY serious legal issue here and I have cooperated and been as forthcoming as possible since my Contempt of Court case was brought forward. An error has been made on the court's behalf and I desperately need to know how to get it fixed.
I sent a certified letter to the judge, care of the clerk of court, explaining the situation. It was received, signed for and never answered.
I've tried contacting broward's Public defender office but they can only help if I am in jail, in court, or able to come downtown with an application fee at which point they still might not even be able to help.
I have been trying to figure this out for a year now, I have been unable to work and unable to find a new job with this warrant pending and I was near ready to give up when I had the idea to ask a legal forum. I desperately need your help.
I am looking at up to SIX MONTHS in jail for something that is not my fault.
Can someone please point me in the right direction and tell me what step I take from here...? What form do you fill out when the judicial system makes a mistake that turns you into a wanted criminal...?
Thank you for any help you may be able offer and thank you again for taking the time to read this.
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