Honorable State Representative

March 12, 2002

Page Two of Two

Paternity fraud has many victims. Most people see only the duped father and the child as the victims. And yes, they are. I dont want to diminish that. The father has been cheated on and lied to and the innocent child has been denied the right to know who he really is, as well as lied to.

But let me assure you, there are many other layers of victims. They are the people you pass on the street and never guess what they are dealing with privately. They are my son. They are my daughter. They are me.

In my case, I have a seventeen year old son who has dreamed of going away to college. He is an excellent student. He has a 3.75 GPA and scored very high on his college entrance exams. He deserves the very best and challenging education he can receive. He has been accepted to several very good schools. Yes, there is some scholarship money available, but its not enough. He will not be able to attend the school he wants because we cannot afford the room and board. The $1000 a month that his dad pays in child support for a child that is not even his, would certainly go a long way toward covering our sons college expenses. Our son is a victim of paternity fraud. Another layer to that one lie many years ago. One of the multitude of unspoken victims.

I also have a seven year old daughter. Fortunately at this age, her needs are more emotional than financial. But still I would like to offer her more activities and experiences that she cannot presently have because her father has to pay $1000 a month to support someone elses child. Our daughter is a victim of paternity fraud. Another layer to that one lie many years ago. One more of the multitude of unspoken victims.

I am a victim, myself, by watching how this heinous injustice has effected the quality of life my husband and I can offer our family, not to mention all the emotional pain. My husband and I work to support someone else's child.

Presently, judges have the power to decide whether duped fathers should be freed from the obligation of supporting someone elses child. But only a few of the multitude of victims can afford to try and seek relief in the court system. Some court cases have provided relief. Many have not. In addition, all of the cases result in thousands of dollars of legal fees and tremendous tension in families that are already victims. Creating yet another layer of destruction and financial burden.

There is hope. And you are the hope. I pray that you will follow the lead of Ohio, Maryland and Alaska and once again pass HB369. Your continued support is vital. HB369 stands for honesty. It stands for relief. It stands for light for the multitude of victims of paternity fraud, both spoken and unspoken. My family needs this bill and many others like us do too. My family needs HB369 and my family needs you.

Thank you,

Mrs. Kelly Nudelman