Not only raped at 12, but then carried the baby to term? That's bad enough. Now, bring the rapist back into her life and share in custody? Good lord. What could possibly be his reasoning?

.. state assistance she and child may have received.

When I was a hospital social worker working with single moms, if the woman applied for public assistance, the state would insist on the name of the father so they can go after them for child support. Many pregnancies indeed were the result of rapes...or one night stands or some other situation where the FOB (father of baby) had NO right to be in babies life. So..... I encouraged the women to just say 'unknown' on the birth certificate.

So..in the above case the FOB may not even know anything until the state sends him a bill for hundreds or even thousands of $$ for repayment.

And why isn't that SOB FOB in jail? And why isn't he registered as a sex offender who shouldn't even be around children. If that's the case then maybe all the judge did was acknowledge him for child support reasons.

Lets hope.

If he IS still in prison, the amount of child support he would be required to pay is next to nothing (to my knowledge it's income-based), if he's not in prison...WHY is he not in prison HE RAPED A CHILD!!!

Doesn't matter what the judges reason is, it isn't Good Enough. Yes, remove him from the Bench. Do that YESTERDAY.

"A Sanilac County Circuit judge has granted parenting time and joint legal custody of an 8-year-old boy to a convicted sex offender who allegedly raped the child’s mother nine years ago."

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2017/10/06/rape-victim-attacker-joint-child-custody/106374256/

But did you say that in the case of one night stands, fathers didn’t have rights? Or am I just misunderstanding your list?

I agree, otherwise, 100% — although I don’t really care if the judge was trying to get the state reimbursed for welfare. That seems like an insane and petty reason.

Who leaves a decision like that to a child?

Now she has to share custody with her rapist.

WTF?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.detroitnews.com/amp/106496800

It appears that the judge may not have known the circumstances in this case. Neither the mother nor the rapist participated- mom is getting public assistance of some kind, so child support enforcement brought the case "on her behalf." This particular judge may grant joint legal custody by default in these cases.

None of that excuses any of what has happened, but is a possible explanation, at least...

the judge should resign or at least hold himself in contempt of court for a year .......... jail time