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Guilty plea for non-payment of child support for former NBA star

On Behalf of | Apr 17, 2019 | Family Law

There are some Pennsylvania non-custodial parents who struggle every paycheck even before deducting the amount, usually court-ordered, to an ex for financial support of their children. However, because of the level of care they have for their children, they know handing over that child support is of utmost importance. In recent news, a former basketball player for the NBA could face time in prison for not paying child support.

Ruben Patterson played for a number of teams during his 10-year NBA career, amassing over $36 million. However, he recently entered a guilty plea for not paying his ex-wife the financial support for their child. He owes just over $100,000, and the charge against him is a fifth-degree felony. Although there is a possibility he could spend 12 months in prison, prosecutors say they want to hold him accountable more than see him behind bars.

This is not the first time he has been charged for this offense. The second of two charges against him was dropped, but he was indicted for the first only three years ago. The 43-year-old has retired but regularly makes appearances at NBA games and splits time between two houses in different parts of the country. His sentencing hearing will be toward the end of May.

This is a father who, according to the public reports, has the means to pay child support but chooses to deprive his child of a lifestyle he or she could enjoy. The court sets the amount of support depending on several factors, the income of each parent being one. A custodial parent may have trouble with the court in obtaining a fair ruling without the assistance of a Pennsylvania attorney who will ensure the client’s rights are observed.

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