ABSTRACT
The stigma of being labeled a "deadbeat dad" can be life altering. For a man named Walter Scott, his status as a deadbeat dad may have cost him his life. This chapter highlights how powerful social and legal forces have gelled to shape cultural views on fatherhood. The term "deadbeat dad" arose in the late 1970s and became a rallying point for social change during the 1980s. This term reflects a legitimate social concern encompassing the expectations of fathers to support their children. The family court has historically operated in ways detrimental to fathers. Even before the rapid expansion of the child support bureaucracy, mothers were entitled to custody of children under the age of 7. The reality of deadbeat dads is, of course, complex, and only recently has it started to be investigated. Fathers with positive relationships with the mother of their children are more likely to share childrearing responsibilities post-separation.
