German court rules fear or letters is no excuse
Legal World
A German court has ruled against a woman who claimed a phobia of official letters in her appeal of authorities' decision to cut off child support benefits.
The court in western Rhineland-Palatinate state said Wednesday that the woman was sent a letter in May 2007 asking that she supply evidence to support continued payments for her daughter.
After she failed to respond, she was notified in July 2007 that the money was being cut off and given a month to appeal. Only in September did she reply and supply the requested documents, telling authorities — who threw out her appeal because it was too late — that she had a phobia of official correspondence.
The woman, who was not identified by the court, said "she had already suffered many financial disadvantages" as a result of leaving mail lying around or throwing it out, a court statement said.
It added that she sought to justify her actions by saying that "she was and still is petrified of the contents of official letters." She said she had long considered seeking psychological treatment, but had been too ashamed to follow through.
The court rejected the woman's case, saying it was a long-term problem, she would have had plenty of time to seek help from her daughter or others.
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Is Now the Time to Really Call a Special Education Lawyer?
IDEA, FAPE, CHILD FIND and IEPs: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees all children with disabilities to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). FAPE starts with a school’s responsibility to identify that a child has a disability (Child Find) and create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to suit the needs of the child.
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Parents need to be persistent, dedicated and above all else aware of the many services and accommodations that their child is entitled to under the law. As early as this point within your child’s special education, many parents will often find themselves in the situation asking, “is now the time to really call a special education lawyer?” Here are a few things to consider when asking yourself that question.