Has going back to court to get more child support/alimony w/ only 2 yrs til child is 18 ever been successful?

Question

I signed divorce with no legal counsel...now, my one child has turned 18 and abruptly my ex stopped his child support even though he promised me (I have it in emails) that he would keep paying it until the other child turned 18 so as not to disrupt standard of living for the younger child who is 16....Is there any way I may be successful in taking him back to court for more money or to extend the alimony or something??? So we don't lose our home? He HAS MONEY...I work full time...but I can't pay for college for my 18 year old and he is not helping with that either and all of a sudden decides to stop paying me the prior full support. I will go talk to an attny...but does anyone have any experience with something like this...we live in Georgia.

Answer 1

short answer, yes. Child support can be mandated. You need to make a distinction between child support and alimony. The child support will be enforced, and it can even be made retroactive until the child turns 18. As far as college goes, unless and until he made a specific promise to fund college, that's a whole new ball game. Furthermore, did he promise to pay that FULL amount, or did he only promise to pay child support until the second child turns 18. If the latter is the case, he could conceivably say that since the first child left the house, he should only have to pay for the second child.

Answer 2

Yes, you should be able to raise the child support on the 16 year old, but the alimony will probably remain the same. You can also fight for child support for the 18 year old while they are in college, but that is only a 50/50 shot of getting it.
Make sure the judge gets to see the emails. Those are as good as having a signed contract in family court.
Good luck. I hope all works out for you and your children.

Answer 3

if your child goes to college you can take him to court and he should have to pay child support as long as that child is in college you need to get legal counsel on this