Blog: Child Support

9/24/15

Federal law pertaining to child support could land dad in jail

Violation of a The case currently making news involves a father who was behind more than $90,000 in child support payments. The 51-year-old man was making reduced payments for some time. Then, he stopped making payments all together in 2012. The man also moved from one state to another. While each state has its own penalties for back due support or failure to abide by a child support order, there is a federal law...

9/9/15

New law may help parents behind in child support

When a parent fails to pay court-ordered The new law relates to issuing a restricted driver’s license. The parent who is behind in payment can show he or she works 30 hours a week and works more than a mile from home. This and other eligibility requirements can lead to the issuance of a restricted license so that parent can still get to work and earn the money needed to get current on a...

8/18/15

Child support reminder: public shaming or convenient option?

When it comes to a One parent in particular has voiced his dislike of the post card that comes in the mail to his house. The post card has the parent’s name on it and asks the question as to whether or not that parent has paid for the month. The parent says this method is an invasion of privacy and essentially calls out non-custodial parents publicly. The state believes the post cards are...

7/22/15

Drastic reduction in child support sought by Halle Berry

Halle Berry has made news recently for more than just her movie and television career. The star has gone to court to seek a drastic reduction in the amount of In the case of Halle Berry and her ex-boyfriend, the pair had a child together in 2008. They split in 2010. In a court proceeding last year, Berry agreed to pay for school tuition and half the health care costs for the child. She...

7/8/15

In-kind child support method may help with accountability

For many parents who pay This form of support refers to a parent directly paying for items the child needs. This can include food, clothing and other expenses bought and paid for outright rather than a monthly payment of a certain amount. A recent study has shown this method to be particularly useful for low income parents who may have trouble coming up with a certain amount by a specific date each month. While...

5/20/15

Child support payments sought decades after child is grown

Child support issues can be extremely contentious for some families. While the family courts in Pennsylvania hand down What makes this case noteworthy and unique is the fact the couple divorced in 1977. The hoopster, Meadowlark Lemon, is now 83 years old, and his son is 48. The basketball player and his wife were married for 22 years before their split. The son and his mother contend Meadowlark Lemon was ordered to pay $2500 a...

2/17/15

Pennsylvania county to offer amnesty to those owing child support

When there is a failure to pay The program gives parents who are behind the chance to turn themselves in without fear of arrest. The cases are then heard individually and reviewed. The reasons for not being able to pay can be addressed, and a warrant for arrest can be dismissed based on the review. The amnesty program has been used in past years and positive results have been garnered. Those who are behind...

2/11/15

Technology may help smooth child support problems

One area of family court that can lead to a lot of contention is cases involving There are now programs and apps that can track expenses, be a resource for receipts and let a parent know exactly what specific funds are being used for what. Some of these programs can now be ordered by a family court judge. The apps and programs can be free to use, and one that is gaining in popularity...

2/3/15

Man faces jail time over child support nonpayment

Whenever a person is legally identified as the parent of a child, that person is typically obligated to pay support if he or she is the noncustodial parent. However, this obligation to pay child support for a child is not always so cut and dried. Pennsylvania parents may be interested in the recent case of a man facing jail time over failure to pay child support for a child he did not father. The man...

12/22/14

Child support payments made for non-existent child

The family court system has very clear guidelines and laws pertaining to The woman met the man on a dating website. A few months after meeting in person, the woman claimed to be pregnant. The woman told the man to pay her directly or she would file a claim and he would end up paying most of the money he made. The man agreed to pay her $1,000 a month. The man paid her...