Ask Me Help Desk - Child Abandonment Question

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

The way I'm reading the law is that the $25 is somehow connected with the cost of collecting the support.

I understand it to be an administrative cost. And that's not illegal. What is illegal is providing legal services to a custodial parent and not to the non-custodial parent at the same time. It violates the constitution.

Agreed -

There is a one time $25 fee for them to take your case however depending on your income (mine was $0 at the time)they can/will waive it. I did not have to pay the fee. Apparently it's for initiating the case. As far as lawyers/social workers go, I've had just 1 appointment with them at which time they told me they had to contact to general postmaster in the county that he lives in (we live about an hour apart)for them to send a certified letter to confirm his home address. Why they can't use his work address is beyond me since he manages a dollar store and there is only ONE in that township. They said once they "locate" him they will send him information about how to do the buccal swab to establish paternity. If he doesn't do it within a certain timeframe they will get a judgment to compel him to do it. Once that is done, I take my baby in for the same swabbing. Only then will they get a lawyer involved although the lawyer does not directly represent me, they represent CSE, and then a date will be set to go to court to determine support. They gave me an estimated time frame of 3-12 months although I have a feeling it will probably take longer since they can't find him. What kills me though is he just completed deferred prosecution for 2 felony larceny by employee charges and I think his probation just ended back in September. Wouldn't that make it easier to find him since he had a PO? Also from what I read about the statute, I could press charges for felony abandonment since he changed his phone number and refuses to provide support.

Now I could be completely mistaken but I really do just want to do what is best for my girls.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ncmommy79

Also from what I read about the statute, I could press charges for felony abandonment since he changed his phone number and refuses to provide support.

I said earlier, that's what I think you should do. If he doesn't want to lose his job, he will stop playing these games.