Articles Posted in Enforcement (Child Support)

Published on: | by

Under Florida law, courts and administrative agencies are required to base child support obligations on actual income during the relevant period and to attach necessary documentation to support their findings. If they fail to do so, any child support obligations they impose may be vacated, as demonstrated in a recent opinion in which a Florida court addressed a case where the Department of Revenue miscalculated retroactive child support and failed to include a child support guidelines worksheet with its final order. If you are involved in a child support dispute, it is wise to consult a Miami child support attorney to help you protect your rights throughout the process.

Facts and Procedural History

It is reported that the plaintiff challenged a final administrative support order issued by the Department of Revenue’s Child Support Enforcement Program. Allegedly, the plaintiff argued that the Department miscalculated his retroactive child support obligation by failing to use his actual income during the retroactive period. Florida law mandates that retroactive support be calculated based on the obligor’s actual income for the relevant time frame, using state wage information if available.

Additionally, it is reported that the Department issued its final order without attaching a child support guidelines worksheet. The guidelines worksheet provides a detailed calculation of the obligor’s support obligations based on statutory guidelines, and without it, the accuracy of the Department’s determination could not be verified. The plaintiff argued that this omission made it impossible to ascertain whether the child support award was supported by sufficient evidence. Continue reading ›

Published on: | by

In Florida child support cases, it is unfortunately not uncommon for the parent obligated to pay support to fail to uphold their duties. If they do, they can be held in contempt. The party seeking a contempt order and arrearages must act in a timely manner, however, otherwise, they may be precluded from recovering the amounts owed due to the defense of laches. In a recent Florida child support case, the court provided a valuable overview of the affirmative defense of laches, ultimately determining that it did not apply. If you need assistance with a child support matter, it is in your best interest to meet with a Miami child support attorney to evaluate your options.

History of the Case

It is reported that the parties divorced in 1994, and the former husband was ordered to pay child support until their child was emancipated in 2005. However, in 1995, the former husband ceased paying child support through the disbursement unit, citing job loss, and instead paid the former wife $100 weekly, with a promise to resume full payments when he found employment. Unfortunately, he never did.

Allegedly, a Judgment/Certificate of Delinquency was filed but expired in 2016. In 2017, the former wife initiated a motion for contempt, which the general magistrate deemed “premature.” The magistrate instructed the former wife to file a motion to determine the child support arrearage, but she never did. Two years later, the former husband passed away, leaving his entire estate to his long-term girlfriend, who subsequently also passed away. Following these events, the former wife filed an independent action to collect the owed amount, totaling $282,070.64. Continue reading ›

Published on: | by

In divorce actions involving children, it is not uncommon for the parties to come to an agreement regarding custody and child support. In most instances, such agreements are enforceable, and a party that fails to abide by the terms of their agreement may be held in contempt. As discussed in a recent Florida case in which the court affirmed a contempt ruling against a party that paid child support via unauthorized means, strict compliance is often required. If you are considering filing for divorce and you have minor children, you should consult a Miami child support attorney to determine your potential rights and obligations.

Case Background

It is alleged that the husband and the wife divorced; during their dissolution proceedings, they entered into a settlement agreement that required the husband to channel his child support payments through the state disbursement unit. However, following a motion for contempt and enforcement by the wife, a court order decreed that the husband would only receive credit for payments made through the disbursement unit.

It is reported that despite this, the husband persisted in making direct payments directly to his ex-spouse. This recalcitrant behavior prompted another motion for contempt/enforcement by the wife, culminating in a subsequent order that denied the husband credit for the direct payments and imposed a $33,000 purge. The husband then appealed. Continue reading ›

Published on: | by

A lot of family law cases get resolved based upon relatively straightforward legal bases – things like, “What do the Child Support Guidelines indicate is the proper amount of child support?” or “What custody arrangement does the judge conclude represents the best interest of the child?” Occasionally, though, some family law cases involve more expansive issues like Florida public policy or the U.S. Constitution. Regardless of whether your case involves litigating something related to the Child Support Guidelines or the U.S. Constitution, your case needs an experienced Florida child support attorney who is well-versed in all of the laws and knows how to apply them to your case.

One recent case in which the U.S. Constitution played an integral role in deciding the outcome was a child support dispute from Gainesville. The parents’ divorce was finalized in 2007 in Michigan. The couple’s Michigan final judgment included a mediation agreement that the couple had worked out. One of the provisions within that mediation agreement stated that the father had the option to prepay his child support for the couple’s two children and that, if he did so, he was entitled to “interest at the rate of one and a quarter percent per month on any amount of prepaid child support.” The agreement also stated that the father would not receive any payments of interest but would instead receive his interest in the form of credits against his future child support obligations.

The agreement additionally called for the couple to go through an annual process of calculating how much interest the father had earned that year. This last part led the couple back to court, with the father alleging that the mother had refused to participate in the mandatory annual accounting process. The mother, in opposition, argued that her participation (or lack thereof) was immaterial. The court was required to dismiss the father’s case, she maintained, since enforcing the interest-and-credit provision would leave the children without child support, and that made it contrary to Florida public policy.

Continue reading ›

Published on: | by

Child support cases, especially when you are facing contempt and possible jail time, are serious matters. There are many ways the courts can find you capable of making your child support payments, but there are other resources the law does not require you to deplete just to meet your support obligation. In one recent case from the Florida Panhandle, a father won a reversal of his contempt finding and jail sentence because, according to the First District Court of Appeal’s ruling, everything the trial court used to find that the man had willfully declined to pay his child support was either too small, had no evidence to support it, or was an asset the father was not legally obligated to liquidate just to pay his child support. The appeals court’s ruling is a useful reminder of the several ways that a parent who owes support can defend himself in a contempt case.

Continue reading ›

Published on: | by

Resolving issues of back-owed child support can require creative problem-solving between the parties. Sometimes, that creativity may run afoul of the law if it impairs child’s legal right to receive support. One couple’s solution, which converted back-owed child support into a money judgment in favor of the wife and stripped the family court of jurisdiction over that judgment, did not violate the law, according to a recent 4th District Court of Appeal ruling. Because the agreement only removed the family court’s jurisdiction, and did not prevent the wife from pursuing the debt in civil court, the settlement did not contract away the child’s right to support.

The marriage of two attorneys ended in divorce in 1999. The agreed judgment between the parties required the husband to pay child support of $1,300 in 1999 and $1,500 starting in 2000, even though the applicable child support guidelines called for only $828 per month.

The husband fell behind on his support payments, resulting in several contempt proceedings and judgment enforcement motions. The couple eventually settled this dispute and the trial court entered an agreed order in 2008 that included a money judgment of $70,000 plus interest in favor of the wife. The family court also relinquished jurisdiction over that money judgment, except that the court retained the power to use its contempt powers if the husband did not stay current on the $828 per month of child support required by the guidelines.
Continue reading ›

Published on: | by

This January, an Ohio father who was behind on his child support payments in an amount over $96,000 was ordered to stop having children. This type of judicial mandate, although rare, has been issued twice by Wisconsin in the past year.A father of four was first indicted in August 2011 when he was in arrears of close to $80,000. In 2013, with his unpaid child support closing in on $100,000, Judge James Walther extended his probation by an additional five years and issued this unique mandate.

Judge Walther described the need for such an extreme controversial condition: “It’s your personal responsibility to pay for these kids.” The terms became part of his probation and are not intended to be permanent, but violation of such order could lead to jail time.

An appeal is already expected as his lawyer has been arguing that the judge overstepped his boundaries, and such an order is a violation of his constitutional right of privacy. A court date for the man to reappear is schedule for July, 2013.

Individuals with children going through a divorce must be prepared for their eventual child support order. The best advice is to hire a competent family law attorney at the onset, since the initial child support order acts as a theoretical anchor for future modifications.

In Florida, neither parent may waive child support by the noncustodial parent as child support is meant for the child and should not be bargained away by parents.

Some possible punishments for failure to satisfy child support payments:

Loss of driver’s license. Oftentimes, the revocation occurs without immediate notification to the nonpaying supporter.

Interception of tax refund. Florida can and has “intercepted” tax refunds to defaulting parents.

Liens and wages. Like taxes, Florida may attach liens or garnish wages in order to satisfy outstanding debt. These methods place the debt of the child support away from the child’s needs and onto the nonpaying parent. Not only does this method affect the nonpaying parent’s cash flow but can also harm their relationship with their employer.

Bank savings. In some rarer instances, the State of Florida has been able to reach certain bank funds, and freeze others.

Harm to credit score. Different orders, defaults, or delinquency notices all appear on credit reports and harm the offender’s credit score.
Continue reading ›

Published on: | by

In November 2012, a fifty-year-old father of three was found and arrested in the Philippines and extradited to the US after having been featured on the Department of Health and Human Services list of “Most Wanted Deadbeats”.In 1995, a county judge in Long Island, NY ordered the man to pay $750 per week (which was eventually increased to $995), to his ex-spouse for the support of their two children. The couple had been married for 10 years, and the man’s annual income from his own business was over $500,000.

In 1997, the man moved to Florida and married his second wife, with whom he had his third child. Shortly after, the couple divorced and the man was ordered to pay an additional $625 to his second wife for child support. This is when the man fled the country.

After having paid a total of $87,000 worth of child support payments, he stopped. Warrants for his arrest were issued in 2000 and 2002. To evade payments and prosecution, he fled the country. He was located in Thailand before being arrested in the Philippines.

After being brought back to the US, the amount of child support in arrears, plus penalties and fees owed by the man, totaled over $1.2 million. Attorney Loretta Lynch described his character when she said in a statement: “Neither court orders nor the familial bond meant anything to him as he fled to avoid his obligations.” He could see a four year sentence for such support evasion, however, according to his first wife, he should be a free man to be able to work off his debt, which he is fully responsible to pay.

Florida Child Support Info
It is most advisable to contact an experienced family law attorney to assist you in calculating and submitting your financial information that will be the basis of your child support payments. Child support payments can be determined during your divorce action or possibly on a later date. Child support can also be modified due to changes in either spouses’ living situation. Courts will generally base child support on annual income, however they can take into consideration many other factors: including health costs, custody, cost of living, etc. Payments may be made weekly, biweekly, or bimonthly.

Either spouse can make a motion to court to adjust their child support for good cause. Enforcement of payments is performed by the Florida Department of Revenue. Failure to pay can lead to liens, suspension of vehicle or business licenses, harm to one’s credit score, or even prosecution.
Continue reading ›

Published on: | by

A Martin County father was recently placed on probation after pleading no contest to violating a little-known Florida law designed to ensure parents meet their child support obligations. According to a Martin County Court Clerk, the 34-year-old father was the first person in the county arrested under the law established to punish allegedly deadbeat parents. In addition to sentencing him to five years of probation, Circuit Judge William Roby also ordered the man to regularly pay the $550 per month in child support for his two children that was previously ordered by a family court judge and $69,542.88 in back child support and interest that has accumulated throughout his years of non-payment. Additionally, Judge Roby ordered him to perform 25 hours per week of community service throughout the period of his probation, pay $415 in court costs, and promptly notify the court of any changes in his employment status.

The case against this individual was filed after his ex-wife told local authorities about the little-known law. She reportedly grew weary of the man’s failure to pay his family court ordered child support. Instead, she produced contempt of court orders against him and asked Martin County authorities to prosecute her ex-husband using the third-degree felony statute. Apparently, only two other individuals in Florida have faced the same charge during the last decade.

The man in this case reportedly told Judge Roby he failed to pay his support obligations because he could no longer afford the payments due to a bad economy and the loss of his business. According to this father, his previous efforts to reduce the child support payments were denied. Assistant State Attorney Erin Kirkwood responded to these claims by stating a family court determined the man was able, but unwilling to meet his child support obligations. Although she attended the hearing, his ex-wife reportedly made no comments.

In the State of Florida, parents must provide financial support for their children. A child support award is determined using established statutory guidelines that take into account the costs of medical care, dental care, day care, and the amount of time each parent spends with a child pursuant to a child’s time sharing plan. If a parent voluntarily becomes unemployed or under-employed, a family court may choose to make an award of child support based on imputed income. Imputed income is normally established by examining a parent’s past employment record, job qualifications, and the local pay rate where the paying parent resides.
Continue reading ›

Published on: | by

Last month, a Hillsborough County Circuit judge ordered the arrest of a successful Tampa area businessman, after he was found guilty of five counts of criminal contempt of court for failure to pay his child support and alimony obligations. The man reportedly failed to attend the contempt hearing where Judge Caroline Tesche sentenced him to almost six months in jail for repeatedly refusing to pay more than $6 million in alimony and child support.

The man’s ex-wife initiated divorce proceedings in 2009 and the former couple reached a final settlement agreement in July 2011. Although the couple has a 12-year-old son together, she stated her former husband has not supported them for several years. According to her attorney, the man now owes his ex-wife $10 million.

The man in this case is reportedly a decorated Vietnam veteran, a former president of a company, and previously ran a building materials business which allegedly reported profits of more than $4 million per month at its height. At one point, he reportedly owned a mansion and regularly drove several high end sports cars. Now, the man claims he is financially insolvent. In fact, he allegedly filed for bankruptcy just three days prior to the contempt hearing. Still, Judge Tesche believes the father has the ability to pay.

This man reportedly owns stock in several large companies as well as other assets. His attorney has argued that the man’s hands are tied as the former couple’s settlement agreement prohibits him from selling his stock in order to generate cash. He also claims the man is unable to liquidate any of his assets and lives off of loans and a small monthly Department of Veterans Affairs disability check.

According to the former wife, her ex-husband has the money and is merely hiding millions of dollars in assets from her. In November 2010, he spent more than two weeks in jail for refusing to produce documents during the couple’s divorce proceedings. When he filed for bankruptcy, the man reportedly estimated his assets as being in the range of $100 to $500 million and his liabilities at no more than $50 million. To further complicate the case, the Internal Revenue Service is also allegedly performing a criminal investigation into his affairs. His attorney has stated he is not aware of the man’s current location.

Each year many Florida residents find themselves in the midst of a less than amicable divorce. Understandably, the host of emotions associated with the end of a marriage can be overwhelming. The financial damage can oftentimes make a bad situation even worse. If you are contemplating divorce, you need an experienced family law attorney to help you protect your financial interests.
Continue reading ›