Legal Question in Family Law in Georgia

Birth mother won't pay child support

I am the custodial parent of two girls. Birth mother was only ordered to pay $25.00 a month support and she won't pay it. In the 1 1/2 years I have had the girls,(i was given emergency custody 6 months prior to the divorce) she has paid a total of $75.00. The order did not go into effect until 1-16-03. She initially had it suspended for 6 months, but she still has made only 3 payments and all three were a week to 10 days late. She told me she was working 2 jobs, but the girls say she is not working at all. She is living with a convicted drug dealer and another man.(This is the atmospere my children spend every other weekend.) How can I enforce the child support order and also protect my children from what they are being exposed to? Nobody in Coweta county will help because I am the father and no one will hold her accountable for her actions.


Asked on 1/19/04, 3:40 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Wayne Wisong Wayne Wisong, Attorney at Law

Re: Birth mother won't pay child support

$25 per month! Do you really think that can possibly make a difference in supporting these children? This can only be enforced by going back to court and seeking a contempt order against her, but, obviously, any lawyer is going to charge you more than you can receive, unless you can get her to pay your attorneys' fees as well. Rather than collecting the outstanding support arrearage, you need to look into modifying the custody/visitation arrangements so that she no longer gets any visitation, given her lifestyle. You also need to think about going for a child support increase against her. Contact a local family attorney, file, and expect to pay something to the lawyer. The welfare of your children is not something to put cost savings considerations ahead of.

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Answered on 1/20/04, 6:12 pm


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