What to do about child support and divorce?

Question

OK, I've been trying to get a divorce from my abusive husband for 6 months. I just went to a child support hearing with my lawyer on Friday and the judge said I am certainly owed support, but she has no jurisdiction because the father is in OK and I'm in FL. She said the interstate unit of the Child Support Enforcement agency is supposed to handle my case. The problem is, they aren't. I opened a case with them almost 11 months ago, and they still haven't given me a file number or attempted to find this deadbeat at all. I've called about it, my lawyer has called about it, and they still haven't pursued the case. The judge said for the lawyer to contact a specific person at Child Support Enforcement and that she'd even meet with that person and the lawyer to find out why they aren't doing their job, and if they aren't going to, the judge said she would enter an order for support. As far as the divorce decree goes, the lawyer says he could get it finalized next week, but he wants

to wait until they can find my "husband" because he wants some proof of his income so we can give him some of the debt and legal fees in the divorce decree. Otherwise I guess I get stuck with it all??? Can anyone help me out here? Is this all for real? Why is it so difficult to get this info and the money I deserve? Is the lawyer playing straight with me, or is he just trying to make more money???

vladoviking, I have given them his social security number and their JOB is to look for him and make sure he's doing his part to help care for HIS children. No, of course I'm not being unfair...I don't plan on taking him for every dime he makes....but he hasn't given me a CENT in the year since we've been separated, and he's hiding out from every effort the lawyer has made to find him. He's even hiding from his family, not just from me. I just want him to pay his fair share towards raising the kids. After all, I didn't make them by myself. And we've been married for over 12 years, so he has been supporting them before and certainly should continue to do so. It's not easy for a single, working full-time mom to support two kids, paying daycare and all that. I'm not asking for the world, just for him to step up and meet his responsibilities.

Wish I had the money to go to OK and take care of it, but since I'm supporting two kids on a teacher's salary, that is not going to happen, unfortunately. :(

Answer 1

E-mail you state representative and CC all those in OK, stating the problem and asking there help. Would then hit the Senators, and if no help a letter to the editor of all the FL and OK papers. Get the message out there Should be easy to find him if he filed Federal taxes. If Fl has an agreement with OK in the collection of support there should be no problem.

Answer 2

Go to OK and open the case there. Why are you trying to do an interstate claim. Those take time. I do not know your situation but it sounds like you left him and went to FL. You had a residence there, go there and open the case in person, you are taking the slow route and not really going at this aggressively. Do not do things over the phone, sounds like you have FL lawyer what is he going to do in OK. Get on a plane and take a couple of weeks and handle it. You are going to have to go back and do this instead of trying to phone it in. If it was that important to you then you would do it.

Answer 3

I think that the judge is basically correct. She can only issue an order in Florida. The uniform act on child/spousal support does allow you to get an order in OK to enforce the FL order against an OK citizen, but the OK court needs to actually do it. Is your attorney working with a local OK attorney? That may help, although there would be additional fees.

Answer 4

If he was served with the divorce papers she has personal jurisdiction over him regardless where he is. He knows one of the issues is support and if he was concerned he would be there. However if she puts in a order it will probably be only for minimal support.

I would try the Federal office of CSE. Its at HHS.gov they are supposed to oversee INTERSTATE enforcement or lack there of.

Answer 5

Sounds like your lawyer IS NOT DOING HIS JOB
Contact the states attorneys office for OK
Send copies of all court docs
Google child support groups to see if they can help you
Good luck

Answer 6

Yea its all about finding him lady! did you tell them his Social Security # They aint gonna put out the effort to actually go look for him. Hope your a fair women and aint out to screw him for any dime he'll ever make, that tends to make someone give up hope and go off in the court room get suicidal and take alotta people with them.

Answer 7

your going about it the wrong way, and its quite clear your attorney doesnt have much experience with interstate cases, or they would have known all of those things.

----PULL RANK and
----PUT SOME HEAT ON THE CASE, meaning, deal with both states AG and Regional FEDERAL Child Support Offices...poke and prod at them even if you are asking the status of the case. Every time you need 'em.

well the honor system doesnt work, thats been proven. its also why the state and federal government passed stronger laws for child support; they are TIRED of people not paying for their children.

the arrears still keep adding up.

1) call your caseworker and ask:
--request an enforcement hearing.
--where you apply for interest on the arrears?
--was the case submitted for tax refund intercept?
--was the arrears reported to the credit reporting agencies yet?
--ask why they have not taken his drivers license away yet?
--ask why they have not put liens on his bank accounts yet?
--ask why there has not been a warrant issued yet?

2) sit down and write a letter. in it, give your contact info, case number, his info, arrears amount, the problem and ask them what they are doing about it.

keep the letter short, its more effective that way.

then take that ONE letter and FAX it to the following:
a) BOTH your states Attorney Generals (link is below)
b) BOTH your states Governors (link is below)
c) BOTH your states Regional FEDERAL Child Support Office (link is below)

phone calls are useless; they are ignored, denied and forgotten. mail ends up on someones "to do" pile, but FAXES are effective. its proof you sent it and proof they recieved it, therefor, they HAVE to address it. if you cant find a fax number (most are listed online) then just call them and ask for it.

if you hear nothing in a week, fax them again. fax them weekly if need be. its the squeaky wheel that gets the oil, if ya know what i mean. WHO CARES if you miff ‘em off, just keep at them until the problem is addressed.

All fax numbers are listed online, and if not, simply call and ask for it.

3) Report his azz to the IRS (in writing), for he’s supporting himself, somehow. Tell them you strongly suspect him working under the table to avoid a child support order.

4) Report his azz to the Social Security Office if he’s been using others SS#.

5) post his DEADBEAT FACE ON A DEADBEAT SITE ONLINE.

some links for you; just click on your state and find the subject you need.

DEADBEATS
http://www.wantedposters.com/deadbeats_usa_a_to_f.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/creep/deadbeatparentssuck/
http://www.deadbeatjustice.com/list.htm
www.goodparentspay.com

INTERSTATE CASES
http://library.findlaw.com/1999/Jan/1/241468.html
http://www.policyalmanac.org/social_welfare/archive/child_support_02.shtml
http://www.law.upenn.edu/bll/ulc/fnact99/1990s/uifsa96.htm
http://www.ericsa.org/
LONG ARM ACT (UIFSA) for INTERSTATE
http://www.ncsea.org/content.asp?contentid=614
http://www.law.upenn.edu/bll/ulc/fnact99/1990s/uifsa96.htm
http://family.findlaw.com/child-support/support-basics/support-glossary.html
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/fct/uifsahb.htm
http://www.ancpr.org/uifsa_definitions_and_provisions.htm

CHILD SUPPORT CALCULATOR
http://www.alllaw.com/calculators/childsupport/

YOUR STATES CS POLICY
http://childsupportcenter.org/stateprofiles.php

ABANDONMENT (NO SHOW PARENTS)
http://www.alllaw.com/articles/family/

NOT ALL PARENTS LOVE THEIR CHILDREN
And "RATIONAL LIES"
http://www.alllaw.com/articles/family/child_custody/article7.asp

FREE LEGAL HELP IN YOUR STATE
(just click on your state to find contact info)
http://www.lawhelp.org/

LAWS and INFO
http://www.delinquentdad.com/csr.htm
http://www.womansdivorce.com/
http://www.divorcehq.com/spprtgroups.html
http://www.divorceinfo.com/statebystate.htm
http://www.divorcenet.com/states
http://www.divorcesource.com/
http://www.divorcesource.com/info/deadbeat/deadbeat.shtml
http://www.divorcecentral.com/
http://family.findlaw.com/
http://law.onecle.com/new-jersey/ (change the state to yours)
http://family.findlaw.com/child-support/unpaid-support/support-orders-enforcement.html
http://www.divorcehq.com/deadbeat.html
http://www.divorceinanutshell.com/
http://www.lawchek.com/Library1/_books/domestic/qanda/childsupp.htm
http://family.findlaw.com/child-support/support-laws/state-child-support-info.html
http://www.supportguidelines.com/resources.html
http://www.supportguidelines.com/links.html
http://www.supportguidelines.com/laypersons.html
http://www.supportguidelines.com/articles/news.html
http://family.findlaw.com/child-support/support-basics/
http://www.spiesonline.net/deadbeat.shtml
http://www.childsupport-aces.org/index2.html

STATS
http://www.childsupport-aces.org/acesstatistics.html

FINDING DEADBEATS
(and background cks to find them)
http://www.usarecordssearch.com/
http://www.zabasearch.com/
http://deadbeatsnitch.com/
http://www.wantedposters.com/skiptrace.htm
http://find.intelius.com/search-name.php?ReportType=1&
http://omnitrace.com/Missing-Persons-Search.html?OVRAW=deadbeat&OVKEY=deadbeat&OVMTC=standard
http://www.discreetdata.com/index.html
http://www.identitycrawler.net/people_search.html
http://www.peoplefinders.com
http://zabasearch.com/
http://www.crimcheck.com/personalreports.htm
http://www.easybackgroundchecks.com/
http://www.abika.com/
http://www.freeprf.com/
http://www.efindoutthetruth.com/
http://www.netsleuth.com/
http://netonlineinvestigators.com/index.asp
http://www.backgroundcheckgateway.com/
http://www.backgroundcheckgateway.com/locate-people.html

FED AGENCIES
http://www.ncsea.org/
http://www.nfja.org/index.shtml
http://www.naag.org/issues/issue-consumer.php

REGIONAL FEDERAL CHILD SUPPORT OFFICES
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/oro/regions/acf_regions.html

FACTS AND REGIONAL FEDERAL CS OFFICE INFO
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/fct/fct4.htm
http://www.divorcesource.com/WI/ARTICLES/beaulier11.html
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/opa/fact_sheets/cse_factsheet.html
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/index.html
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/faq.html
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/fop/passport.htm
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/fop/fop.htm
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/faq/faq.htm
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/extinf.html
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/grants/grants_cse.html
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/index.html
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/region2/index.html
http://www.fms.treas.gov/faq/offsets_childsupport.html
http://www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits_en.portal
http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/
http://www.fedworld.gov/gov-links.html
http://fatherhood.hhs.gov/pfs92/ch3.htm

SSI AND DISABILITY
FOR CHILD SUPPORT
https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps6z/ISBA/main.html
http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/policybriefs/pb2004-02.html
http://www.ssa.gov/notices/supplemental-security-income/
http://family.findlaw.com/

FIND YOUR REPS
http://www.usa.gov/
http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/State_and_Territories.shtml
http://www.nga.org
http://www.naag.org/attorneys_general.php
http://judiciary.senate.gov/

CHILD SUPPORT LIEN NETWORK
(some states work with them)
http://www.childsupportliens.com/
COLLECTORS
http://www.supportkids.com/
http://www.supportcollectors.com/faq.php
http://www.deadbeatdadfinders.com/
http://www.deadbeatdadfinders.com/links.html
http://www.childsupport-aces.org/index2.html
http://www.divorcesource.com/info/deadbeat/deadbeat.shtml

TAX INFO
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p501/index.html
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p504/ar02.html#d0e563
http://www.taxsites.com/index.htm
http://www.divorceinfo.com/taxes.htm
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc354.html
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc422.html
http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq4-5.html
http://www.irs.gov/localcontacts/index.html
http://www.irs.gov/advocate/index.html
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p525/index.html
http://www.fms.treas.gov/faq/offsets_childsupport.html
http://money.cnn.com/2007/02/14/pf/taxes/do_not_miss_tax_breaks/index.htm?postversion=2007021411

REPORT DEADBEATS (AND EMPLOYERS)
WORKING UNDER THE TABLE
(in writing, to your local and federal IRS offices)
http://www.irs.gov/localcontacts/index.html
http://www.irs.gov/compliance/enforcement/article/0,,id=106778,00.html

REPORT A DEADBEAT USING OTHERS
SS# TO AVOID CHILD SUPPORT or FILING TAXES
WITH OTHERS SS#
http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq1-13.html
http://www.ssa.gov/oig/public_fraud_reporting/
http://www.ssa.gov/oig/hotline/

SEX OFFENDERS
http://www.mapsexoffenders.com/
http://www.scanusa.com/
http://www.nsopr.gov/
http://www.familywatchdog.us/Default.asp