[Susieq69]

My husband married at age 16 due to a pregnancy, the marriage lasted three months at which time he and the older girl had a terrible falling out and both went there separate ways, her taking the child,and him never seeing his child. He ended up having to get a divorce by posting in the paper due to the unknown whereabouts of his spouse and child. It's been 27 years and they have resurfaced. Because of my husbands success they are trying to get back child support. Do we have to pay back child support after 27 years.

[ebaines]

You should always indicate what state you are in, as laws vary. But I would say this - if there was no court order that required him to pay child support when the divorce was finalized by the court, then no, she can't demand it now that the child is no longer a minor. But if there was a child support order which he failed to comply with, then I believe in most states she can sue for those back child support payments even after so many years have passed.

[ScottGem]

I seriously doubt if they will get any child support. Laws do vary, but I don't think any state would allow a parent to try to get support at such a late date. Especially since he can show that he had to get a default divorce because she disappeared, the courts will look on it that she had the opportunity to file for support at any time before the child reached 18. That she deliberately hid the child from him. Those factors would make it unlikely that a court would award her retroactive support.