'Joey's Bill' becomes law, protects military parents
 

By Scott Rees
Staff Writer

GRAND LEDGE — "Joey's Bill" will become law in Michigan.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm recently signed a bill into law that bars the Friend of the Court from considering a service member's military duty as abandonment or using it against them in custody disputes.

The law also prevents any permanent change to custody arrangements during the military parent's absence.

State Rep. Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge) introduced the bill after he was approached by one of his constituents — Joe McNeilly, a Grand Ledge resident and specialist with the National Guard — who said he believes he lost custody of his 10-year-old son, Joey, because he was in Iraq for 15 months.

The boy's mother, her attorney, and the friend of the court, says he lost custody because of his parenting skills. McNeilly filed an objection, claiming incorrect information, and a bias against men.

The hearing was postponed indefinitely after McNeilly hired a high profile lawyer from Chicago who specializes in men's rights and custody cases.

McNeilly nicknamed the bill, "Joey's Bill" and started a Web site — www.joeysbill.com — to further the cause and help other soldiers who find themselves in similar situations.

Sen. Patty Birkholz (R-Saugatuck), sponsored a bill of her own, which quickly passed through the Senate.

McNeilly was pleased with the passing of the bills.

"Unbelievable. It went up for how many votes? And it went unanimously every time," he said.

McNeilly said the law comes too late to help his situation, but he holds out hope that it might hold an influence during his hearing.

"I hope this sends a message to the defendant ... that it is not only wrong, but unethical and immoral," McNeilly said.

It does, however, ease his mind should he face deployment again.

"It's a non-issue — and it should've been before I left," he said.

Jones said he knows of 20 similar cases involving both mothers and fathers in Michigan alone.

"Our military men and women in the Michigan National Guard and Reserves put their lives in harm's way to defend our freedoms," Jones said in a statement. "The last thing we want them to worry about is that their children will be taken away while they are deployed."