When it comes to family law, the court is dedicated to serving the best interests of the children. Children are usually hurt the most when a non-custodial parent fails to pay child support in Florida. That is one important reason why failure to make these payments is considered a crime in the eyes of the law. Non-payment of support for children can end in the arrest of a parent, not to mention time spent behind bars.
Authorities in another state decided to make sure that this potential punishment was well understood by conducting a roundup operation aimed at parents who failed to make support payments for their children. The operation was meant to give the public an example of what could happen if one does not keep up with the child support payments specified in a person’s divorce settlement or paternity case. Officials arrested 15 parents for non-payment of child support in this recent operation.
All 15 parents arrested were men; however, women can also be arrested for not making required child support payments. The 15 men in this case owed a total of $391,309 in payments at the time of their arrests. The local authorities worked in unison with Texas state officials to implement the arrests.
Child support arrangements can be one of the most important and contentious issues to decide during a divorce. However, as this case has illustrated, it is critical for parents to obtain a child support payment schedule that they can afford. If a non-custodial parent cannot find common ground with the custodial parent in such matters, it may be necessary to litigate the issue in a Florida court of law. Courts typically will hear petitions for downward modification of an existing child support order based upon documentation of a substantial change in circumstances beyond the party’s control.
