Being a parent is often hard. It involves long hours, often with little sleep and with constant worry about the ability to meet the needs of the children. When there is only one parent providing support, it is even more difficult. As a result, parents in Virginia are often ordered by the court to pay appropriate child support. If that support is not forthcoming, the other parent often has no choice but to pursue legal avenues for payment.
A woman in another state recently took such a path even though her daughter is now 52 years old. Reports indicate that the woman, now 74, raised her daughter on her own since the latter was three years old. The ex-husband was ordered to pay her $210 a month for 30 months followed by $160 a month until the daughter was 21.
Unfortunately, the woman claims she received one check that bounced when deposited, then her ex-husband moved to another country. In the years that followed, she reports working multiple jobs to support her daughter, which resulted in time away from her. After realizing that there is no statute of limitations for child support matters in California — where she lived — and that her ex-husband had returned to the country, she decided to pursue the money.
She filed a lawsuit seeking over $150,000, the amount she claims she was owed with the addition of interest and lawyers’ fees. A statement from her ex-husband claims that he was happy to pay the money owed her and that they were able to reach an agreement. The woman hopes that her story shows other parents that there may still be options to seek the money owed them.
When it comes to parenting together after the end of a romantic relationship, complications and potential hardships are understandable. However, failure to make court-ordered child support payments often comes with consequences and could ultimately have a detrimental impact on a parent’s relationship with a child. Fortunately, there are options if a parent is unable to pay due to a substantial change in circumstances as there are options for a parent who is not receiving court-ordered support payments. For those in Virginia who are facing these struggles, having an experienced family law attorney on their side can help them fully understand the options available to them under the law.
