Legal Question in Family Law in Ohio

In Ohio, if you can show that you had no knowledge of the child until just now, and if you can show that the child's mother could have informed you but chose not to, then you could make the case for waiver of the child support obligation. There are a lot of cases going both ways on this legal issue, but it gets down to what the court thinks is fair. If the mother hid the child from you and because of this, you missed out on her childhood, then many courts would see any money going to the mom as an after the fact windfall.

But if you either knew about the kid all that time, or if you disappeared and the mother, who was diligently searching for you could not find you, then you could be liable for the child support. Much will depend upon the facts of the case.