[JADED IN NEBRASKA]

My exgirlfriend and I lived in Minnesota throughout the time we were together. We dated for about six months of our last year of high school. We split up and I moved to Wyoming. Unknown to me she was a couple weeks pregnant when I left. I don't even know that she knew she was pregnant at the time. After moving to Wyoming I met and got married to a really great woman. And awhile later we had a baby girl. Then about two years later another baby girl. Almost five years into my marriage I got served a court ordered paternity test. Minnesota forwarded the case to Wyoming since that's where I lived. I was pretty upset that my ex had not tried to contact me and let me know that we had a kid together. FIVE YEARS!! This little girl was almost FIVE YEARS OLD and I never knew she existed. I had moved on, got married, started a family. I was ordered to pay child support and they entered a judgement against me back to when she was born. I started almost $15,000 in the hole. I drive truck over the road for a living and I have tried to see her a couple times but still have never got to see her. In the support order I was to get reasonable visitation. I have just gotten the run around from the department of family services in Minnesota. I paid for awhile but then I started becoming very resentful. I figured if I couldn't see her then what was the point in paying. Probably not the right thing to do. Then I was served with more papers, an order to show cause. I went to court and was sentenced to 30 days in county jail. The judge suspended 26 days and I served 4 days. Since then my wife and I have given up our house and moved in with my folks. We stayed with them for about six months so we could try to get our heads above water financially. We have also sold one of our vehicles and have the other up for sale so we can eliminate the payment. We have recently moved to Nebraska to a small town because the rent is half what it was in Wyoming. I have missed three monthly child suport payments over the last six months. I spoke with my case worker in the child support enforcement office recently and she said they were going to file another order to show cause. I'm afraid they will make me serve the remaining 26 days in jail or come after my drivers license. Neither alternitive is good. I am self-employed and this last year has been rough. With the economy being slow and repair bills to my truck I'm on the verge of bankruptcy. My wife and I are barley making ends meet and trying to stay off welfare ourselves. I am down to having to make a choice between paying my utilities or child support. I am going on two months behind on our pickup payment and have talked to the bank about a voluntary reposession to try and free up some money. Sorry for rambling on. My question is... Does Wyoming still have jurisdiction over my child support case and can they force me to return to Wyoming for court or to serve jail time since I am nolonger a resident of Wyoming? I have lived in Nebraska for 4 months. My exgirlfriend and daughter live in Minnesota. Will Minnesota forward the case to Nebraska? Thanks in advance for any help you can give. -NE

[cdad]

For one thing did you go to court with a lawyer when you went in the first time? Another thing is that until it is changed Wyoming has jurisdiction. You haven't lived long enough in Nebraska to become a resident yet ( 6 months ). Also have you tried to get your support lowered?

[JADED IN NEBRASKA]

No, I didn't have a lawyer. I can't afford to hire one. How do I go about getting jurisdiction changed? Is it something I can do myself? And no I have never tried to get my support lowered. -NE

[Fr_Chuck]

The jurisdiction will be the court that your ex filed in. Her court has the control, they may have alllowed the other state to do the enforcement, You can ask your states enforcement agency to take over.

I do not believe your ex would have filed in a state she does not live at, her state will keep control.

Support is based on income, if your income goes down it would go down to what the min plus arrears would be.

[JADED IN NEBRASKA]

I don't know much about the court system and I feel like I am at their mercy. I am willing to learn and I would like to try and do it myself if possible. I have read a lot of other peoples stories and with the right info I think I can do it. If there are forms I can download and I can learn the process and file the right things in the right order. I don't know but am willing to try.-NE

[JudyKayTee]

You are being foolish if you attempt to accomplish this without legal counsel - if the other party has legal counsel you will be buried alive (so to speak).

What you pay an Attorney may very well be saved in the long run when support is reduced.

Have you looked into low cost representation?