Child support cases can be among the most heated and contentious cases heard within the courts of the United States. Due to the variety of issues that can arise, these cases can become quite lengthy and complicated and lead to head-scratching results for one of the involved parties. Florida residents may be interested in a recent article involving a fairly complicated child support case.
This particular case involves a father who has been caught in a battle with his ex-wife over visitation of their 9-year-old son for almost four years. The ex-wife reported him to officials for alleged sexual abuse when their son was five. However, the father reports that his son told him it was someone in the mother’s home committing the abuse. As a result, he lost his joint custody and visitation rights and was ordered to pay $588 a month in child support.
The drama continued after his ex-wife filed for state benefits. According to state law, when a custodial parent receives state benefits, child support checks may not be sent directly to the ex spouse, which is what the man had been doing. This resulted in the appearance the man was behind with payments according to the government. The man then stated his constitutional rights had been violated and accused DHS employees of conspiracy to remove his parental rights, at which time he filed a federal class-action lawsuit naming them as the defendant.
Any Florida parent that is involved in a child support dispute could benefit from knowing their rights under the applicable state laws. Depending on the particular situation, this can be an emotional time for all parties involved. Having an understanding of a parent’s rights may help keep tempers from flaring and help a parent have a realistic expectation of what to expect moving forward.
Source:
Jackson Free Press, “Lawsuit Highlights Child-Support ‘Disarray’,” R. L. Nave, July 24, 2013
Services We Offer:
Family Law | Child Custody | Divorce | Personal Injury | Auto Accidents
