In California and all other states, parents often disagree about financial provisions regarding their kids. Those who are divorced might think they are better off coming up with a plan on their own and implementing it without seeking the court’s intervention. Others believe filing a formal petition for child support might be a better course of action for several reasons.
First, parents might agree that one or the other is going to make regular deposits into a bank account so there are funds on hand to provide for the children involved. Without a court order, there is likely no way to legally enforce this type of agreement. If no documents were signed and no judge approved a proposed plan, it can be difficult to seek legal accountability against someone who has breached a verbal agreement.
Also, it can be quite difficult to rectify the problem when there is no existing court order upon which to base a complaint. If a court order exists and a parent refuses to adhere to its terms, the other parent can bring the matter to the court’s attention and the judge overseeing the case can, if warranted, hold the other parent in contempt. Former NBA player Kwame Brown understands how difficult it can be to resolve child support issues when parents have been acting on their own without a court order. Brown says he has deposited tens of thousands of dollars into bank accounts for his children.Their mother, he claims, has been making withdrawals on those accounts and using the money for herself.
In fact, Brown says, his ex has taken at least $22,000 out of the bank that was intended to provide for his kids and used it for her own personal spending. Brown’s ex sued him for child support some months ago and has requested that the court order him to pay all her legal fees; she also stated that he has not been financially providing for his children. Brown told the court he is living off his savings and his children’s mother has reliable income that she can use to pay her own legal fees. Any California parent who wishes to avoid similar legal complications is wise to discuss his or her situation with an experienced family law attorney who can provide guidance and support.