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bassngage · Sep 6, 2007, 09:01 PM

Hi, I need some advice. My ex-husband was served papers to be in court November, 2006 for non-payment of child support and non-payment of uninsured medical expenses. He deceided not to show up for court and was in contempt of court. There was a capias set and a warrant for his arrest. He left Texas and is now residing in Tennessee. He owes me in the neighborhood of $14,000 not including court costs. Not that that is a lot of money, but he has had no contact with his kids for almost 2 years.

A few weeks ago, my attorney's office called and my ex was in the Tennessee police dept. for something civil and the warrant pulled up. My attorney had sent this to the state of Tennessee. They were going to extradite him back to Texas. Since in Texas non-payment of child support is only civil they let him go. I was devastated they let him go.

He has not spoken to me in almost 2 years. The kids are without health insurance since that is what he is supposed to provide per the divorce decree.

Seems like to me if someone who doesn't want to pay their child support moves to another state they will not get caught.

What is my best course of action? I will say that September 17, 2007 I have a dismissal hearing where they will probably give a default judgment. All court costs and attorney fees will not be reimbursed for me.

How can I have him held accountable for his children. Isn't it criminal in Tennessee to owe someone this much child support? Please help! My kids are depending on it! Thanks so much!

Fr_Chuck · Sep 6, 2007, 09:04 PM

Find out where he is working, and get his pay garnished.

bassngage · Sep 6, 2007, 09:10 PM

How do I find out where he is working? No one will tell me. His sister is helping him out and I have called her. She is very protective of him and all of her other brothers that have gotten hooked on drugs. He was hooked on drugs and I guess is getting his act cleaned up. Personally I feel his is trying to escape his responsibility. Is there some place that can put his social security and it will pull up where he works? What if he is doing contract work and it cannot be tracked. Seems like if someone does not want to be found they won't be.

ScottGem · Sep 7, 2007, 06:31 AM

Did you apply for public assistance? Usually the welfare dept will go after him. Also your atty should be able to get a copy of the arrest record which may show his place of employment. Otherwise you will need to hire a PI in TN to check him out.

bassngage · Sep 7, 2007, 03:54 PM

What do you mean by public assistance?

ScottGem · Sep 7, 2007, 04:07 PM

Money from the govt

bassngage · Sep 7, 2007, 04:14 PM

If you are asking if I am on welfare, I am not and do not need public assistance. I need my ex-husband to do what the divorce decree says and pay his child support and provide our two children health insurance which is also court ordered. I am disgusted that someone can just leave the state they are divorced in and not be held accountable. I am very frustrated at "the system!"

ScottGem · Sep 7, 2007, 04:32 PM

I had to ask the question. Like I said, if you were, then the govt would help you find him and get the money from him. Since your aren't, you have to do the legwork yourself. Check for support groups for women with dead beat dads, they may be able to help you.

bassngage · Sep 7, 2007, 04:35 PM

Should I Google dead beat dad support groups or do you know of any in particular that would be most helpful? Thanks!

ScottGem · Sep 7, 2007, 04:48 PM

Try googling or checking with your local children's and family services agency.

s_cianci · Sep 8, 2007, 08:14 PM

By federal law, all states are supposed to enforce each others' child support orders. SO, if your ex was ordered to provide child support and health insurance in Texas, then fled to Tenn. the authorities in tenn. Should be enforcing the Texas order. At the very least, his Tenn. Employer should be garnishing his wages. Unfortunately, you might not get a whole lot of help from Tenn. Authorities as they have enough of their own problems to deal with and may not want to expend a whole lot of resources enforcing what they reckon to be Texas' problem. However, he will always be subject to wage garnishment, income tax refund interception and things like that. And if Texas issues a warrant for his arrest, which they should do if he continues to violate the support order and doesn't appear for court, he can be picked up in Tenn. Or wherever if he's so much as stopped for a traffic violation. So the bottom line is, he may get away with it for a while but, rest assured, "Big Brother" will be watching him.