After a divorce, it’s not just the partners who are affected but the children. Child support is often mandated by the court to make sure the best interests of the child are preserved, and a man failing to pay child support is not uncommon. But a developing child support case in a nearby state is highly unusual.
The 58-year-old man allegedly owes more than $600,000 in back child support, stemming from a 1993 divorce that involved three then-minor children. He was arrested on Oct. 29 for failing to meet the court order and is currently in jail on $200,000 bail. He is charged with two felony counts of grand theft against his children, who are now adults. He was also charged with four misdemeanor counts of disobeying a court order, authorities said.
Criminal complaints were originally brought against him in 2000 and 2002. The arrears balance is reportedly the highest in the county. All attempts prior to get him to pay have reportedly failed.
Divorces are always tough, and supporting three children as a single parent is even tougher. Not being able to have the necessary financial support as a single mother or father can be very hard, so it’s important to know your rights and what your options are. Having the necessary legal tools is a great start to taking the appropriate action. If the man was truly unable to make his payments, then he should have sought a court’s help.
Source: The Sacramento Bee, “Man arrested, accused of owing $600,000 in child support,” Cathy Locke, Oct. 30, 2012
