CHILD SUPPORT IN ARREARS

Do You Owe Back Child Support? Is the Amount Correct?

California law imposes serious penalties on fathers who fail to pay child support. As a general principle, this makes sense. Parents should take financial responsibility for their children — whether married or divorced. 
However, serious injustice is often done to California fathers under the flag of California’s child support arrearages laws. Fathers face serious financial penalties for arrearages they were unaware of. Fathers lose their driver’s licenses or other licenses as a result of failing to pay the correct amount of child support.

At Southern California Dad’s Law, our attorneys have extensive experience protecting fathers’ rights with respect to child support arrears and calculations. Our lawyers commit themselves to providing protective and aggressive legal representation to fathers wrongly accused of failing to pay child support. Contact our Temecula office to schedule a consultation.

Ignore Child Support Demands at Your Own Peril

Constant communication from your ex, her lawyer or the Department of Child Support Enforcement Services can get tiring. You may want — and deserve — a break. However, one of the worst things you can do is ignore any communication about failure to pay child support. As a result, you could face penalties such as:

• Accumulation of interest on top of the amount you are alleged to owe in back child support payments
• Up to a year in jail and/or a $2,000 fine, because failure to pay child support is a misdemeanor criminal charge in California

Face Accusations of Failing to Pay Child Support Head-On

Instead of ignoring communications from your ex or the Department of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE), consult an experienced California family law attorney for help minimizing the negative impact of these accusations on your life. Some of the actions we may be able to take on your behalf include:

• If you changed jobs but forgot to inform DCSE, we may be able to eliminate interest or penalties by arguing innocent mistake
• If you lost your job or are working at a lower-paying job, we can file a petition for a child support modification, to get a child support order that reflects your financial reality
• If driver’s license suspension threatens your ability to get to work (and thus threatens your ability to pay child support), we can argue for a hardship driver’s license

At Southern California Dad’s Law, we believe in fighting to protect fathers’ financial rights, while encouraging them to meet their fair financial obligations to their children. For more information or to make an appointment, contact Southern California Dad’s Law’s office today.