"It's Not the Mouse": How Family Courts Milk Parents While Hiding the Real Culprit Unmasking Title IV-D: The Federal Engine Fueling Family Court Profit

This paper offers a research-informed perspective on the persistent legal and political entrenchment of Title IV-D, the federal child support enforcement framework. Drawing on recent legislation and public records, it outlines how bipartisan efforts have reinforced these systems under the guise of child welfare while largely ignoring systemic issues affecting families. Written in an op-ed style, the article aims to bridge scholarly analysis and public discourse, providing both documentation and commentary on how federal incentives may distort justice in family court. It concludes that the system's permanence is not due to its effectiveness, but its institutional profitability.