My ex wife ran off with our 4 year old daughter after our divorce. Many years of trying to find her failed. Now after 25 years I have located her and my daughter who is now 30 years old. Over a five year period I had notified the court with certified letters why I haven't paid child support. I also have certified letters I wrote to family members over the years. In the 1980's child support was mailed to the court in Texas and they forwarded the support checks. The court returned several checks because of failure to deliver. I only paid child support for a few months in 1985.

Now that I have found my daughter, will I be required to pay back child support?
I will definitely have a DNA test done.

It would be easy to find since I'm at the same address for 25 years. I found her in a criminal database and she is in jail.

Thanks

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Originally Posted by nalcon

My ex wife ran off with our 4 year old daughter after our divorce. Many years of trying to find her failed. Now after 25 years I have located her and my daughter who is now 30 years old. Over a five year period I had notified the court with certified letters why I haven't paid child support. I also have certified letters I wrote to family members over the years. In the 1980's child support was mailed to the court in Texas and they forwarded the support checks. The court returned several checks because of failure to deliver. I only paid child support for a few months in 1985.

Now that I have found my daughter, will I be required to pay back child support?
I will definetly have a DNA test done.

It would be easy to find since I,m at the same address for 25 years. I found her in a criminal database and she is in jail.

Thanks

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Who got the support order, who raised your child?

When you couldn't locate her, when Child Support couldn't locate her, did anyone cancel the Support Order?

She filed for the divorce. According to my attorney, in Texas you can't cancel the support. You continue to pay into a mutual fund and the money is distributed to other persons who don't get their support. I notified the court I wasn't going to do that. They never responded, however for 2 years, every 6 months I sent a certified letter to the court explaining the situation. The court returns several of my checks when they couldn't locate her.

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Originally Posted by nalcon

She filed for the divorce. According to my attorney, in Texas you can't cancel the support. You continue to pay into a mutual fund and the money is distributed to other persons who don't get their support. I notified the court I wasn't going to do that. They never responded, however for 2 years, every 6 months I sent a certified letter to the court explaining the situation. The court returns several of my checks when they couldn't locate her.

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Amazing - let me go and research. So, basically, you who were willing and able to pay support couldn't/didn't pay support because your wife disappeared with your daughter are "supposed" to support another child whose father didn't/doesn't pay?

YIKES! I thought NY was impossible.

EDIT: I find a lot of info about parental kidnapping but pretty much nothing about kidnapping and child support when the parent and child are "missing."

I'll keep looking -

Thanks for the speedy response. I would like to clarify. I'm not having any problems with the state of Texas over this. I located my daughter, who is in jail and living with her mother who has been married 5 times according to reports. I haven't contacted them yet. This may sound cruel, but I don't want to open a can of worms. I'm not rich but I have saved up a substantial retirement, been married for 25 years and raised her son from age of 4, who is now an successful engineer.

They have never tried to locate me as I know of. I would be real easy to find. Thanks

The only one who could pursue the back support would be the mother. Your daughter is not entitled to pursue it.

If the mother does pursue it, then I think you have sufficient evidence that can prove you attempted to pay support and that your daughter was deliberately withheld from you. Hopefully justice will prevail and you won't be require to pay.

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been married for 25 years and raised her son from age of 4, who is now an successful engineer.

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I should have said, remarried for 25 years and raised my present wife's son from age 4.

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Originally Posted by nalcon

Thanks for the speedy response. I would like to clarify. I'm not having any problems with the state of Texas over this. I located my daughter, who is in jail and living with her mother who has been married 5 times according to reports. I haven't contacted them yet. This may sound cruel, but I don't want to open a can of worms. I'm not rich but I have saved up a substantial retirement, been married for 25 years and raised her son from age of 4, who is now an successful engineer.

They have never tried to locate me as I know of. I would be real easy to find. Thanks

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You don't sound cruel - I don't know what I'd do.

I find Texas law to be strange.

Frankly I admire your restraint. If my wife had hid my daughter from me and I came to found out she had messed up her life to the point where she was a convicted criminal, I would be very angry.

Like I said, I hope justice will prevail. I would not blame you for not opening this can of worms.