My daughter owes over $8,000 in back child support. In five years she has paid less than one tenth of what the court ordered. The money is not important to my husband and myself, we just want to legally adopt our granddaughter whom we have loved and raised almost her whole life. I'm just wondering if when we go back to court over child support what the court would order her to do if I demanded that all back child support be paid right now and in full? We live in the State of Tennessee.

The court would set up a payment plan with her, for her to pay on current and a certain amount on past amounts. They may allow you to attach her bank accounts, but that is not normal in Tennesse.

Tennesse does put people in jail for late child support. But normally only for a few months and then a payment plan

It isn't likely that the judge would order it to be paid all at once. From what I have seen, the ncp will be ordered to pay the current plus a small amount of the arrears each time a payment is due. I would push the issue of support being paid even if you don't need the money. You can put it in a savings account for when the child is in college or graduates college even.

The other thing you can do is forgive the debt if an adoption can take place. So she is released from all rights and responsibilities.