Tag Archive for: child support arrears

Wisconsin woman takes child in custody dispute

A warrant has been issued for a Wisconsin woman’s arrest after she failed to return her son to his father in violation of the terms of a custody order. The woman, age 20, and her estranged husband, age 23, have been waged in a bitter child custody dispute over the three-year-old boy. The woman previously accused her husband of emotionally abusing her and of smoking marijuana in the presence of their son.

The boy was transferred to his mother’s care on February 20. She was supposed to return him to his father on February 26 but did not show. She also has not reported to her job at a Wisconsin Dells resort. The woman’s neighbors reported seeing a moving van at her home during the weekend of February 23. Authorities now suspect the woman has taken the boy to her native Uruguay or to Mexico. An international phone number was found taped to the woman’s refrigerator. When it was called, a man answered and denied the woman was there.

Under Wisconsin law, divorcing spouses may reach an agreement regarding the custody arrangements for their child. If they cannot agree, the court will decide where the child will live by applying the “best interests of the child” standard. Emotions can run high during a child custody dispute, but it is important to maintain control. A failure to cooperate can have serious consequences. If a parent violates the terms of a court order, not only will the parent’s custody and visitation rights be in jeopardy, the parent faces possible criminal charges as in the case of this Wisconsin woman.

When involved in a custody dispute, parents need not try to take matters into their own hands. Instead, seek the assistance of an experienced family law attorney. The attorney may be able to help work out a child custody arrangement that serves the child’s best interests.

Source: Baraboo News Republic, “Boy was subject of custody dispute,” Tim Damos, March 7, 2013

Wisconsin man pleads guilty to child support charges

It is no secret that the recession has been particularly hard on Wisconsin. In troubled economic times, court ordered child support takes on added importance. Parents depend on child support to provide the basis necessities, including food, clothing, and daycare, for their kids. When child support payments are missed, children suffer.

Recently, a Wisconsin man pleaded guilty to charges that he failed to pay legal child support. The 35-year-old Watertown man was initially ordered to pay $189 per month for the support of his child beginning December 1, 2000. However, prosecutors alleged he had not made any payments since October 2009. Since that time, the total amount of child support in arrearage amounted to $21,444.15.

As a result of his guilty plea, the man faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution in the amount of child support he owes.

In tough economic times, child support payments become more important to the receiving parent and child. However, tough economic times can also make child support more difficult to afford for the parent who is under a legal obligation to make monthly payments.

When a child support issue reaches a criminal court, it is very possible for both of the parents and the child to be worse off as a result. If a paying spouse is imprisoned, his or her ability to make child support payments will be harmed. Before the situation is escalated to a criminal prosecution, it is important to remember that parents on both sides of the equation have legal remedies available.

The paying parent can request a downward modification if he or she can show that changed circumstances have harmed his or her ability to pay. The receiving parent has child support enforcement remedies as well. These remedies include income withholding, withholding income tax returns, property seizures, property liens and court-ordered punishment to encourage payment.

Source: Justice.gov, “Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Pay Legal Child Support,” 5/17/2011

Facebook provides info on dead-beat Milwaukee dad

A Milwaukee, Wisconsin, dad who moved out of state years ago is being stalked on Facebook; by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The 46-year-old owes more than $100,000 in back child support for a daughter born in 1993. His last child support payment was made back in 1996 and he has been delinquent ever since. He is wanted in Milwaukee on six felony counts of unpaid child support and authorities need help tracking him down.

Federal officials have turned to Facebook to try and find his whereabouts. HHS authorities sent a search warrant to the social media site to get the private information behind the man’s Facebook account. While Facebook will not say how often they get served search warrants or what they pertain to, a spokeswoman says the social media site does adhere to all federal laws.

Facebook provided a CD with the man’s information to federal agents that included pictures, comments, a list of friends, messages, his work history and IP address activity. (The Internet Protocol address is the numerical address of each device used to communicate on the Internet like his computer or iPhone.)

The man is supposedly a fitness guru and personal trainer to the stars who also launched an online web/television site.

It is not uncommon for people to hide their income or work history from authorities in an effort to evade paying court-ordered child support. If you need help collecting child support please feel free to contact our Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Child Support family law firm or read more on our child support web page.

Source: jsonline.com, “Investigators tap Facebook for details in child support case,” John Diedrich, Aug. 3, 2012

Wisconsin counties receive funds for child support improvements

Brown and Kenosha counties in Wisconsin will receive $2.6 million in federal funds as part of a five-year initiative to help parents make child support payments and reduce the number of delinquent payments. The counties will have some discretion in deciding how the federal funds will be used as long as the funds are used to provide non-custodial parents with resources that will help them support their families.

Examples of the types of services for which the counties may use the funds include helping a non-custodial parent find a job or providing transportation so the parent can get to work. These services will help the parent meet his or her support obligations. The focus of the program will be parents who have not made their monthly payments for child support in the last year after receiving a support order.

In Wisconsin, the amount of child support owed by a non-custodial parent is calculated based on a percentage of the parent’s monthly income according to statutory guidelines. Other factors, like both parents’ incomes and the number of overnight stays the child has with each parent, are considered when the parents share physical placement. Despite use of these standard guidelines, some parents may believe their support obligation is unfair. Failure to pay is not the answer. Timely child support payments are crucial to a child’s quality of life and also reduce the family’s need for government assistance.

An experienced child support attorney can help a parent obtain a fair child support settlement, modify a prior support order when one or both parties’ circumstances have changed materially, and enforce a child support order when one parent does not pay.

Source: FOX 11, “Counties receive funding to improve child support,” Oct. 28, 2012