Keeping up with court-ordered support payments for one’s children is a legal duty that must be adhered to, or it could lead to time spent in jail. Most people in Florida would agree that the needs of children being met is typically the most important factor in any family law case. One city recently capitalized on the added social pressure that came from publishing the names of people wanted for non-payment of child support.
Not only are the listed warrants causing the listed parent to pay the back support payments, there has also been an increase of new individuals catching up on their unpaid child support. Authorities admit that this result was unplanned; however, they welcome the unintended benefits. One court judge stated that she is experiencing an increase in support payments for children since the newspaper began publicizing child support warrants on a weekly basis.
The judge admits that there has been an increase in arrests as well; however, she emphasizes that this also results in more payments being made on back child support. She says that the aim of the publishing is not to put people behind bars, but rather to help the children who may need monetary support to take care of them. For instance, in one week the judge reports that more than $1,500 in support payments for children was collected in her court.
On the other hand, the reasons that parents end up falling behind on child support in Florida may vary. Many times this failure to pay is caused through no fault of a parent’s own. However, regardless of the reason, if a parent is unable to keep up with their court-ordered payments, he or she may want to petition the court to reduce their monthly payment schedule. Acting quickly can help prevent further legal problems and even keep somebody out of jail.
