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    zartan's Avatar
    zartan Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    May 18, 2009, 08:48 AM
    Back child support in Texas if you never knew the kid was yours?
    Hello,

    If a 17 year old kid shows up on your doorstep one day in Texas and says he/she is your kid and you never knew about them, are you responsible for back child support? What if the kid is 18 years old?

    Thanks!
    stevetcg's Avatar
    stevetcg Posts: 3,693, Reputation: 353
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    #2

    May 18, 2009, 08:52 AM

    You should only be responsible for support from the time it was filed for. If the other parent never filed a support claim, you should not be held responsible.

    This is the general rule of thumb. Texas may have specific laws regarding this, however. Most states have moved away from a back support model however.

    Did the kid show up to meet you or is the other parent seeking support?
    ScottGem's Avatar
    ScottGem Posts: 64,966, Reputation: 6056
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    #3

    May 18, 2009, 08:53 AM

    Child support STARTS from the date a support request is filed. So if no support order has been issued , then there will be no back support.

    However, its possible a support order was issued but you could not be found until now to be served.
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
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    #4

    May 18, 2009, 09:07 AM

    When did the chlds mother file for support, if she filed 15 years ago and had a order but you were never "found" you could owe back.

    But you should not owe any back just to the date the mother files.

    But did the kid ask for money, or did he just want to have some level of relationship with their father.

    WE get kids here all the times looking for their fathers just to get to know them
    JudyKayTee's Avatar
    JudyKayTee Posts: 46,503, Reputation: 4600
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    #5

    May 18, 2009, 09:13 AM

    Is this a "case" where paternity should be established by the Court? Are you 100% POSITIVE this is your child?
    zartan's Avatar
    zartan Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #6

    May 18, 2009, 10:23 AM
    No kid has showed up at my door. I'm just asking because I've been married for 17 years now so my wife and I were talking about having only 1 more year for any kids to show up. She said it half jokingly but it got me to wondering.

    I doubt it would be very hard to find me. I live in Texas and I'm not 'hiding' or anything. Is it typically difficult to 'find' someone for these types of issues if that someone is in state and not hiding or anything especially for such a long time (17 years)... surely if somebody was looking for me, they would've found me in 17 years time.

    What do you guys think?
    stevetcg's Avatar
    stevetcg Posts: 3,693, Reputation: 353
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    #7

    May 18, 2009, 10:25 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by zartan View Post
    No kid has showed up at my door. I'm just asking because I've been married for 17 years now so my wife and I were talking about having only 1 more year for any kids to show up. She said it half jokingly but it got me to wondering.

    I doubt it would be very hard to find me. I live in Texas and I'm not 'hiding' or anything. Is it typically difficult to 'find' someone for these types of issues if that someone is in state and not hiding or anything especially for such a long time (17 years)...surely if somebody was looking for me, they would've found me in 17 years time.

    What do you guys think?
    I seriously doubt anyone will be showing up and even if they did, chances are it's a new support case, in which case back support wouldn't be an issue. If you are living life "above ground", its not hard at all to find you. The IRS is pretty good at that kind of thing...

    So this is really just a hypothetical?
    zartan's Avatar
    zartan Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #8

    May 18, 2009, 11:32 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by stevetcg View Post
    I seriously doubt anyone will be showing up and even if they did, chances are its a new support case, in which case back support wouldnt be an issue. If you are living life "above ground", its not hard at all to find you. The IRS is pretty good at that kind of thing...

    So this is really just a hypothetical?

    Yep. It is completely hypothetical. Thanks guys.
    ScottGem's Avatar
    ScottGem Posts: 64,966, Reputation: 6056
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    #9

    May 18, 2009, 11:46 AM

    But are you living where you lived 17 years ago? Did you move away immediately after marriage? Do you have relatives in the previous area that women you were intimate with would be able to contact you through. These are factors that may or may not have made it difficult to find you (hypothetically).

    But the bottom line here is that it is unlikley, in most cases, for a surprise child to show up many years after the fact.
    GV70's Avatar
    GV70 Posts: 2,918, Reputation: 283
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    #10

    May 19, 2009, 02:27 AM

    Hey... it is TEXAS!! ~
    See In the Interest of KRS (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] June 24, 2008).
    zartan's Avatar
    zartan Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #11

    May 19, 2009, 06:44 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by GV70 View Post
    Hey...it is TEXAS!!!!~
    See In the Interest of KRS (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] June 24, 2008).
    ??

    Is this some article somewhere? Do you have a link?
    zartan's Avatar
    zartan Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #12

    May 19, 2009, 06:52 AM
    I found this URL:

    Paternity Suits | Nonpaternity | Parentage Cases | Tex. App.- Houston 2008- 2007

    Is this what you are talking about? Can you break this down in layman's terms?
    GV70's Avatar
    GV70 Posts: 2,918, Reputation: 283
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    #13

    May 23, 2009, 05:47 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by zartan View Post
    I found this URL:

    Paternity Suits | Nonpaternity | Parentage Cases | Tex. App.- Houston 2008- 2007

    Is this what you are talking about? Can you break this down in layman's terms?
    Yes it is!
    After that decision the Trial Court ordered back child support according to the Texan law:
    Sec. 154.009. RETROACTIVE CHILD SUPPORT. (a) The court may order a parent to pay retroactive child support if the parent:

    (1) has not previously been ordered to pay support for the child; and

    (2) was not a party to a suit in which support was ordered.
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