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Man accused of forging papers to avoid paying child support

On Behalf of | May 11, 2017 | Family Law

Whether the parents are married or not, both are obligated to financially support their children for 18 years, in most cases. When the noncustodial parent cannot pay court-ordered child support for some reason, seeking a formal modification should be the first step. However, some parents try to avoid making payments altogether. One Pennsylvania man apparently lied about injuries obtained in combat to avoid paying support and is now facing criminal charges.

A county Domestic Relations office notified police that a father who owed $52,000 in back child support payments had not paid anything since 2011 and was using falsified documents as the reason for nonpayment. He claimed he was not able to get his medical records released from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Instead, he allegedly submitted five forms that supposedly listed his service rank and the surgeries he had while in combat. These forms were to have come from the Veterans Affairs Office as proof that he would be receiving disability as well as possible future employment.

Police say they discovered that one of the forms was not a form the VA office would use and another form had nothing to do with reporting an injury. They were also told the man could have simply signed a release form, and his medical records would have been released. More paperwork reportedly showed falsification of the man’s rank and the circumstances under which he left the Army. After he apparently confessed to police and generate accurate documents, he was charged with forgery. 

Children deserve to have financial support from both parents. A noncustodial parent who does not make court-ordered child support payments may be subject to wage garnishment and/or interception of income tax refunds. Further, his or her driver’s license may be suspended or revoked. Custodial parents who are having trouble getting the money owed can speak to a Pennsylvania family law attorney to discuss the best way to secure full compliance with an existing court order.

Source: publicopiniononline.com, “Police: Greencastle man made up combat injuries to avoid child support payments“, Becky Metrick, May 2, 2017

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