Many California parents encounter strenuous challenges when they attempt to negotiate custody and child support agreements. The bottom line is that whether parents themselves devise a plan or the court steps in to determine what a particular custodial situation will be, either way results in a formal court order to which all parties must adhere. When child support goes unpaid, serious legal problems can arise.
One man has reportedly been trying to evade authorities because he owes a substantial amount of child support. He apparently had his driver’s license suspended in connection with the situation. Officials say he fled his home state, not only to avoid paying child support but also to avoid jail.
As is often the case, police eventually caught up with the man, who has since pleaded guilty to nonpayment of child support. A five-year prison sentence was fully suspended, and the judge sentenced him to five years of supervised probation. The father also has to pay back more than $50,000 that he owes in financial assistance to his children.
A spokesman for the office of attorney general where the man was brought to justice said the law does not tolerate parents neglecting their child support obligations. Any California parent facing a similar problem may turn to an experienced family law attorney for support. It’s possible to request modification of a child support order when a substantial change in financial circumstances has occurred; however, it is never okay to disobey an existing court order. Concerned parents on either side of this issue are better off seeking legal guidance than taking matters into their own hands.
Source: sunherald.com, “Man ducks child support for nearly a decade. Now he’s ordered to pay more than $50,000”, Patrick Ochs, March 14, 2018