It's very similar to the way men are treated in "family" courts. They steal your children from you, then they require you to pay, based not on your actual financial condition, but instead based on what some judge who's never seen you before thinks is the maximum "you could earn" based on your employment history. Decide to change your life and be frugal? Not allowed. Decide to take a break from the rat race? Not allowed. Hustle, slave, hustle! -- or be categorized as a "deadbeat dad" and a criminal.