Legal Question in Family Law in Massachusetts
Dead Beat Dads paying back child support
I just remarried and my ex wife hasn't had her ex husband pay child support for 14 years. Is he required to pay. If so how can I as the new husband get this done. At the time of the divorce he only had to pay about $200 a month. He has never paid anything for what is now 15 years. He has moved to Texas and we are stationed in Colorado. He has a new wife and baby. The divorce was from Massachusets. What can I do to get this deadbeat to pay. My wife doesn't want to do this because she doesn't want him in their life. I told her a judge could make that happen but that he needs to pay support. Thank You.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Dead Beat Dads paying back child support
It sounds as if your ex-wife never allowed her ex-husband to see the child.
The Massachusetts (where they were divorced) Child Support Guidelines are based on traditional visitation and custody arrangements.
Sounds as if there were none in the case you cite.
He probably would be required to pay, but if he gets a good lawyer, it'll cost your ex-wife loooottts of money
to oppose him and collect.
Which is she: your "ex-wife" or your "new wife"?
15 times $200 times 12 is $36,000. Add 12% interest per year.
When did he move to Texas? Was he seeing the child(ren) when he moved?
Where was she living when he left? Or did she move with the child(ren) first?
I am going to conclude that he was not DEADBEAT as much as he was BEATDEAD.
He probably left because he was getting nowhere with the court in getting to see his child(ren).
Put yourself in his shoes. What if you have a child with her and then split up and she doesn't want you to see your lovely beautiful new baby. Would you want to pay her??
My personal -- NOT legal -- advice: Get on with your life. Don't go backwards. Let him have a normal life with his new wife and baby . . .
and get on with your own new life.
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