View Full Version : Can  you  go  back  12  years to  file child  support
 
 frame29334
Jul 25, 2010, 05:47 AM
My son got married was blessed with a child , they diveorce and child support  was  order ,but she got pregnant and  have twins and never file for child support  will  the  oldest  child will be  18  in  a  few  months  now she file  for clid support  for  the twin, he don't  mind paying it  ,but thinks they shouldn't be able to go back 12 years.She  said  that  the  reason  was  that  she  could  draw  more  money  filing  it  this  way. Oh  we  live in  Texas
 cdad
Jul 25, 2010, 07:01 AM
If it was never filed then it should go back that far.  Was the first order just for the one child?
 ScottGem
Jul 25, 2010, 08:14 AM
Generally, support cannot go back to birth. Usually it goes back to when the support request was filed.
 
I'm a bit confused here. So your son was paying support for the one child but not for the twins?
 lawanwadee
Jul 25, 2010, 08:55 AM
The answer is yes... she can file even the child is 18 y/o. Child support is one of the debts that cannot be wiped out when you file bankruptcy.
 frame29334
Jul 25, 2010, 08:59 AM
Yes  that  is correct ,he only  paid for the oldest  for  12  years now   its  only  now  that  the support  is  going to  run  out on the  oldest  that she  said  she  wants  support  for the  twins  but  she  file  for  divcorce she  was pregnant with the  twins, and in the  state  of  Texas  you  can't  get  diveorce when  your pregnant but  her  friend and  LAWYER did it  any  way . Reason for  the  diveorce  she  was  messing  around  on  him  so he doesn't know if they are his but he has cared for them and gave them his name  they  are  a  very  big  part of  his  life .like  said  she  didn't  file  before  because  she  didn't want to  she  wanted to  wait  to  get a  large  back  pay  bulid  up
 cdad
Jul 25, 2010, 09:19 AM
The answer is yes... she can file even the child is 18 y/o. Child support is one of the debts that cannot be wiped out when you file bankruptcy.
 
Do you have any proof of this with no support order ever being filed?
 GV70
Jul 25, 2010, 09:25 AM
my son got married was blessed with a child , they diveorce and child support  was  order ,but she got pregant and  have twins and never file for child support  will  the  oldest  child will be  18  in  a  few  months  now she file  for clid support  for  the twin, he dont  mind paying it  ,but thinks they shouldnt be able to go back 12 years.She  said  that  the  reason  was  that  she  could  draw  more  money  filing  it  this  way. oh  we  live in  Texas
 
Texas Family Code - Section 154.131. Retroactive Child Support
(a) The child support guidelines are intended to guide the court in determining the amount of retroactive child support, if any, to be ordered.
 
 
	(b)  In ordering retroactive child support, the court shall 
Consider the net resources of the obligor during the relevant time 
Period and whether:
		(1)  the mother of the child had made any previous 
Attempts to notify the obligor of his paternity or probable 
Paternity;
		(2)  the obligor had knowledge of his paternity or 
probable paternity;      
		(3)  the order of retroactive child support will impose 
An undue financial hardship on the obligor or the obligor's family;  
And
		(4)  the obligor has provided actual support or other 
Necessaries before the filing of the action.
	(c)  It is presumed that a court order limiting the amount of 
Retroactive child support to an amount that does not exceed the 
Total amount of support that would have been due for the four years preceding the date the petition seeking support was filed is reasonable and in the best interest of the child.
 
 
	(d)  The presumption created under this section may be 
Rebutted by evidence that the obligor:
		(1)  knew or should have known that the obligor was the 
Father of the child for whom support is sought;  and
		(2)  sought to avoid the establishment of a support 
Obligation to the child.
	(e)  An order under this section limiting the amount of 
Retroactive support does not constitute a variance from the 
Guidelines requiring the court to make specific findings under 
Section 154.130.
 ScottGem
Jul 25, 2010, 09:32 AM
Was the divorce finalized BEFORE the twins were born? If not, then they are legally his. Or, if he acknowledged them, he has been designated the legal father and there may be no way to change that at this point (seems he doesn't want to anyway). 
 
Texas does permit retroactive support:
Welcome to TX Access (http://www.lanwt.org/txaccess/BACKCHILDSUPPORT.ASP)
 
As noted on that site the courts will rarely go back more than 4 years. If he can show he has been contributing to the twins upbringing beyond the support he paid for the older child, they may limit it even further.
 GV70
Jul 25, 2010, 09:42 AM
§ 160.201. ESTABLISHMENT OF PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP
(b)  The father-child relationship is established between a 
Man and a child by:
(1)  an unrebutted presumption of the man's paternity 
Of the child under Section 160.204;
 
§ 160.204. PRESUMPTION OF PATERNITY.
(a)  A man is 
Presumed to be the father of a child if:
(1)  he is married to the mother of the child and the 
Child is born during the marriage;
(2)  he is married to the mother of the child and the 
Child is born before the 301st day after the date the marriage is 
Terminated by death, annulment, declaration of invalidity, or 
Divorce;
 
§ 160.607. TIME LIMITATION:  CHILD HAVING PRESUMED FATHER.
 
(a) Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (b), a 
Proceeding brought by a presumed father, the mother, or another 
Individual to adjudicate the parentage of a child having a presumed 
Father shall be commenced not later than the fourth anniversary of 
The date of the birth of the child.
 
(b)  A proceeding seeking to disprove the father-child 
Relationship between a child and the child's presumed father may be 
Maintained at any time if the court determines that:
(1)  the presumed father and the mother of the child did 
Not live together or engage in sexual intercourse with each other 
During the probable time of conception;  and
(2)  the presumed father never represented to others 
That the child was his own.
 frame29334
Jul 25, 2010, 09:42 AM
Thank  you  Scott,I just  do  not think  its  right  for  people to do this  kind of  thing. If  you  want  child support when file  as soon  as  you  have them  don't  wait  for the  support  to  build  up  so  much  that it  puts people in trouble ,such  as  getting  license  renew ,passport  may be  someday  they  will  pass  a law preventing this from happing to  hard working people
 GV70
Jul 25, 2010, 09:45 AM
Having said that your husband is presumed to be their father/§ 160.204./, he had four years to rebut that presumption
Now he may be ordered to pay retroactive child support for 4 years but it is not mandatory and it will be at the judge's discretion.
 GV70
Jul 25, 2010, 09:54 AM
... because  she  didnt want to  she  wanted to  wait  to  get a  large  back  pay  bulid  up
 
 
I just  do  not think  its  right  for  people to do this  kind of  thing.
 
 
that it  puts people in trouble ,such  as  getting  liscense  renew ,passport  may be  someday  they  will  pass  a law preventing this from happing to  hard working people
 
That's the reason some men to consult with lawyers and accountants ;)
 frame29334
Jul 25, 2010, 10:04 AM
Gv70 your  answer to  why she  is  using  it  as  a  bank  account .
 
She had the children ,my son was paying support for the oldest ,but she Never file for support on the twin, she told him that she would  have control of him for forever, She works for a police department in Texas and has pulled ever trick in the book on him.yes part of this is his fault for not going up there and filing himself, Hell this is a woman that 2 day after their paper where sign she when and apply for a credit card and ran up a very large amount before he could get it stopped.she told him that  she would make sure that he couldn't afford to do anything unitl the  twin where of age.she told someone that if she didn't file on the twins  that after the oldest was of age that she would get back pay for two for  12 years and then pay for 6 years for the twins  in stead for pay for 3 for all these years  With her its all about the money!! She told her  oldest that if she wanted to live with her daddy that never to call or try  to contact her again Now is that any thing to tell a 10 year old little  girl  that is what kind of person she is ,
 ScottGem
Jul 25, 2010, 10:15 AM
Thank  you  Scott,I just  do  not think  its  right  for  people to do this  kind of  thing. if  you  want  child support when file  as soon  as  you  have them  dont  wait  for the  support  to  build  up  so  much  that it  puts people in trouble ,such  as  getting  liscense  renew ,passport  may be  someday  they  will  pass  a law preventing this from happing to  hard working people
 
If you read the law as GV posted, it appears that TX agrees with you:
(3) the order of retroactive child support will impose
an undue financial hardship on the obligor or the obligor's family;
and
So TX law does take these and other factors into consideration when determining whether to award support retroactively or not. In this case, I doubt if they will. But I believe they will order support for the twins to commence as of the filing date. So he should start saving money now.
 GV70
Jul 25, 2010, 10:55 AM
Gv70 your  answer to  why she  is  using  it  as  a  bank  account .
I have to repeat myself:
He may be ordered to pay retroactive child support for 4 years but it is not mandatory and it will be at the judge's discretion.
 ScottGem
Jul 25, 2010, 11:03 AM
Do you have any proof of these statements from her? Texas is a single party consent state. So he can record her phone conversations without her consent.  If he can prove to the court that her filing is vindictive, it would probably not go well with her.