Child support obligations should never be taken lightly. It is important to comply with any order that has established a specific child support payment amount, and to make timely payments. Failure to do so can cause many problems, and even lead to jail time for the worst offenders.
Recently, an Arizona man was sentenced in Federal Court after he was indicted by a grand jury for failing to pay over $13,199 in past due child support obligations. According to the reports, his child support order dated back to 2005, when he was ordered to pay $117 per month by an Arizona court in Maricopa County. However, he stopped paying his child support payments completely in 2009.
The man was sentenced to eight months of home confinement and five years of probation. He also must pay back over $14,000 in unpaid child support and court fees. It is likely that his wages will be garnished until this amount is paid back in full.
When non-custodial parents experience difficulty meeting their child support obligations, it is important to seek information and guidance regarding their rights and options. An existing child support order can be modified if someone experiences a material change in circumstances that affects one’s ability to keep up the payments, such as the loss of a job or a severe injury or illness.
Issues surrounding children such as child support, child custody, and visitation arrangements can be particularly contentious inside or outside of a divorce. However, it is important to maintain one’s composure and calmly deal with these matters, both during the legal process and following any orders, for the benefit of the children involved. Not paying child support only hurts the children it is meant to benefit.
Source: www.justice.gov, “Arizona Man sentenced for failure to pay child support,” May 17, 2013