After a divorce, some parents in Westerville and the rest of Ohio may find themselves waiting a long time before receiving that first support check from their former spouse. In worst-case scenarios, the custodial parent may never receive a single check for child support. Having been awarded child custody, parents with legal possession of their children have been awarded this money and if it is not paid for a considerable length of time, the noncustodial parent may find him or herself in court once again, this time with criminal charges being brought against them.
In Cuyahoga County, ten parents have been charged for not paying child support. After losing custody in court, many of them were made aware that they would have to make child-support payments. But, because they shirked this legal responsibility to their former partners and to their children, the state of Ohio and the Cuyahoga County Child Support Enforcement Agency, as well as the county prosecutor’s office, have brought charges against them. Some of them owe such large amounts that they may find themselves receiving jail time for their debt.
All told, the ten parents owe more than $300,000. Six of the 10 in question owe more than $30,000 each. One of the individuals, a 43-year-old man from Cleveland, owes nearly $50,000 alone. He has the highest outstanding child support on the list of indicted individuals. Another man from Cleveland is being charged for approximately $42,000 in owed support.
If you are owed child support but have not received payment, you may want to speak about this issue with an attorney. He or she may be able to look at your situation and determine whether there is anything that can be done to help make sure you get the child support you deserve.
Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer, “10 parents threatened with prison on child support charges,” Donna J. Miller, Oct. 23, 2011
