When child custody is awarded to one parent, the court will often require the other parent pay a certain amount of money every month for child support. Many other kinds of arrangements also exist depending on the case, whether it involves joint custody and with whom the child is living. Court ordered child support obligations must be adhered to or the parent can face steep legal consequences. A Florida parent who neglects to pay his or her monthly child support obligation could have his or her visitation rights revoked and in some cases be arrested.
Usually, the only time one hears about a parent not paying child support is when it involves a family member, close friend, or a celebrity. When a celebrity fails to pay his or her child support obligation, it often makes national news. For example, the 17-year-old musician known as Chief Keef, recently appeared in the news when the mother of his child claimed he was only paying part of the child support he owes. The mother, who is a teenager in middle school and thus unable to work herself, claims that Chief Keef paid only $1,900 of his monthly obligation of $2,600
The young woman has filed the necessary court documents to enforce the child support order and an Illinois court hearing has been scheduled for September. Should the young musician miss his court date, a warrant for his arrest will be issued and he could be placed in custody. While this kind of punishment may sound extreme, this is a common penalty for parents late on child support and the same can happen to parents in Florida.
The legal consequences associated with failure to pay child support, should be enough to dissuade any Florida parent from being late on payments. Nevertheless, some parents are simply unable to pay for economic reasons. In such cases, it is important to seek professional assistance immediately – regardless of whether you are the recipient of payments or the payer. Parents who are not receiving the required payment can file court documents to enforce the matter. Parents who are simply unable to pay their obligation due to economic reasons can petition the court and try to have their child support requirement reduced.
