Anyone here a Family Attorney?

[Mayday671]

I feel I got bent over in court yesterday and need advice. Background: I gained custody of my daughter in 2001 and my ex was ordered to pay $45 a week. Of course she never made any payments and in 2008 my daughter at age 12 asked to move to her moms. I agreed and we had a written agreement on support and her still owing back support. Yesterday she asks the judge to throw out our agreement and order support which he did. He ordered me to pay $132 a week for my 15 year old. I informed him that she is $10,530 behind in support. The lady representing the state also confirmed this. Funny thing is the judge stated he would need a few weeks to decide what to do, but he hinted that my ex was no longer responsible for her arrearage. Just curious if I have any options of having this lowered or are these figures in the worksheet locked in stone.

 

[88GT]

I feel I got bent over in court yesterday and need advice. Background: I gained custody of my daughter in 2001 and my ex was ordered to pay $45 a week. Of course she never made any payments and in 2008 my daughter at age 12 asked to move to her moms. I agreed and we had a written agreement on support and her still owing back support. Yesterday she asks the judge to throw out our agreement and order support which he did. He ordered me to pay $132 a week for my 15 year old. I informed him that she is $10,530 behind in support. The lady representing the state also confirmed this. Funny thing is the judge stated he would need a few weeks to decide what to do, but he hinted that my ex was no longer responsible for her arrearage. Just curious if I have any options of having this lowered or are these figures in the worksheet locked in stone.

IANAL.

I can offer only anecdotal information: my best friend went through custody issues with her ex over her son. Initially she had custody, then the son chose to live with dad, then the son chose to live with her again. The custodial parent was owed support by the non-custodial parent, regardless of previous agreements, and the current custodial arrangements did not negate any prior ones (unless that was the purpose of the new agreement).

Whether or not your ex will still be responsible is a crapshoot and depends on the political leanings of the judge. Your support amount is not set in stone, or at least it wasn't for my friend's ex, who petitioned to have it lowered twice (successful once). But it goes back to the judge. If he's going to be sympathetic to your ex and absolve her of her responsibilities, he'll likely lean her way again on the issue of your support amount.

Wish I could help with a suggestion for a family lawyer.

 

[greg]

What County and court is this in....?????

 

[femurphy77]

From my experience the formula numbers aren't set in stone but you have to provide compelling reason for them to be altered. Which in my non-legal opinion you have but that and a quarter won't get you I tend to look at things in a right vs wrong light but the courts make their own light

 

[littletommy]

I have dealt with a crazy ex wife, and the total MORONS at Child services, or whatever the child support dopes call themselves, more times than I care to think about, and I'll tell you, shop around, ask friends, co-workers, whatever you have to do to find a GOOD attorney. Mine is nothing short of a god send to me, and has basically re-written our divorce decree to where my nutty ex now has nothing to complain about, and has gotten my child support reduced 60% since I was divorced.

I did not see any mention of an attorney in your OP, and if you went to court without one, you were begging to be taken advantage of. NEVER DEAL WITH CHILD SERVICES OR A JUDGE WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY!!! I went to talk with the child support jerks once without my attorney, but consulted with her beforehand, and this little sawed off "deputy prosecutor" threw every trick he new at me to intimidate me into signing what my ex was asking for. Trouble for him was my attorney had told me each and every single lie he would try to use, and he used em all, right down the list. He was very upset with me....before asking me to leave his office.

Judges, not all, but I would say most, and these child support workers, do a huge injustice to divorced parents and their children. Yet another shameful display by tax sucking government.