GAYLORD, MI — A Michigan judge delivered a severe reality check to a 21-year-old father who amassed over $21,000 in unpaid child support, ordering him back to jail after he admitted to doing little more than “playing on his phone” for three weeks following his previous release.
The stern ruling by Judge Hesselink highlighted the court’s growing intolerance for non-custodial parents who offer weak excuses instead of making serious efforts to secure employment.
Out of Jail for Three Weeks, Zero Progress
The hearing centered on defendant Tyler Goff, who was appearing for a review on his child support arrears. Court records showed that Goff owed a staggering $21,725.27 in unpaid child support, with a monthly support obligation of $324.
Goff had previously been held in the Otsego County Jail before posting a reduced $300 bond on April 25. As a condition of his release, Goff was ordered to report all income, complete mandatory weekly job searches, and demonstrate reasonable efforts to find work to satisfy his support obligations.
While Goff agreed to forfeit his $300 bond to apply directly toward his $21,000 debt, court staff revealed that he had failed to make any financial payments or provide proof of income since leaving custody.
The “15 Applications” Defense
When Judge Hesselink questioned Goff about his job-hunting efforts over the past month, Goff claimed he had been using mobile apps like Indeed and Snagajob to apply for positions, estimating he had submitted about 15 applications in three weeks.
However, under detailed questioning, Goff’s claims quickly unraveled.
Goff admitted that applying for jobs took him only an hour to an hour and a half per day. When pressed on how he spent the rest of his time, Goff conceded he had done “not too much,” spending nearly a week hanging out at his sister’s house and staying home rather than seeking immediate work with his father’s construction business.
“In that month’s period of time, you have applied to 15 jobs, gotten zero jobs, and made zero payments,” Judge Hesselink observed. “Do you think that is enough to keep you out of jail again?”
“I guess I could try a little harder,” Goff offered lamely.
“Well, that would be the understatement of the year,” Judge Hesselink shot back.
“Grow Up, Get a Job”: Sentenced Back to Jail
Calling Goff’s attitude “lackadaisical,” Judge Hesselink pointed out that there were at least 50 open positions posted on the job board right outside the Friend of the Court office in Gaylord—jobs Goff completely ignored in favor of browsing on his phone.
The judge ruled that Goff had the physical ability and past construction experience to secure employment, but simply lacked the desire to fulfill his parental responsibilities.
Rejecting Goff’s pleas, Judge Hesselink ordered him to report directly to the county jail to serve 7 days in custody.
When Goff questioned why his $300 bond didn’t keep him out of custody, Judge Hesselink delivered a scathing final reprimand:
“The bond got you out of jail last time… You got out for three weeks and you did nothing—nothing for three weeks after being in jail! And the best you can tell me is, ‘I guess I should do a little bit more?'” Judge Hesselink scolded. “No, there’s no more guessing. You’ve been playing this game long enough. You’re 21, what, $21,000 behind? Grow up, get a job!”
The judge ordered Goff to report to jail by 6:00 p.m. that evening. Judge Hesselink warned him that upon completing his 7-day sentence, he will have exactly three weeks to secure employment before his next review hearing—or face another 7 days behind bars.
Full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYdlEA9lSO4