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Father owes sizeable amount in child support case

by | Feb 15, 2017 | Family Law

Pennsylvania parents who have custodial rights over their children know how important financial support is when raising those children. Non-custodial parents who do not pay child support are often sought by law enforcement. One man has been apprehended and  jailed after evading police and his ex-wife for five years. Officials say the man owes his ex over $200,000 in child support.

The couple were married for 16 years and had three children together. An amount of child support to be paid was set by the court in the state in which the two lived. After not providing any of the money the owed, the man’s paycheck was garnished. He quit his job after the first deduction and moved to the state where both he and his ex-wife were raised.

The ex-wife also chose to move back home but had to enroll in a state assistance program for additional support. She said her ex has only made payments that amounted to $10,000 since they have been divorced. Five years ago an arrest warrant was issued when he did not show for a child support hearing, and at that time, the judge ordered him to pay over $150,000. He disappeared soon after the hearing but was recently located by police, who charged him with contempt of court. Reportedly, he will not be released unless he can pay a substantial amount as an act of good faith.

When a non-custodial parent willfully does not pay child support, he or she is considered to have broken the law and will be subject to fines, payment of all arrears and/or possible jail time. For those Pennsylvania residents whose financial circumstances make it difficult or impossible to honor a child support order, a formal petition to modify the amount may be appropriate. For those seeking to enforce and existing court order, a family law attorney can help.

Source: USA Today, “Man jailed for owing $223K in back child support“, Sarah Fowler, Feb. 8, 2017