Abilene TX Divorce Law Blog

Man jailed for over $18K in unpaid child support

On behalf of Law Offices of Randy Wilson and Kristin Postell, PLLC posted in Child Support on Monday, May 13, 2019.

When a child relies on the monetary support that one parent is ordered to pay to another, not receiving it can have far-reaching consequences. The needs of children cannot be overstated, and though some parents may not like it, this also goes for the needs of the custodial parent. However, many Texas parents are unable to make their court-ordered payments for various reasons, which can be devastating in the long run for everyone involved. This is what one out-of-state man is facing after he was jailed for his failure to pay child support.

Authorities say that the man was ordered to pay child support in 2011 for the next fifteen years. His payments were set at $215 per month. In 2017, those payments were increased to $265 per month in conjunction with a sentence of probation. At the end of that year, he owed over $18,000 in unpaid child support payments.

MLB's Miguel Cabrera asks judge to reconsider child support order

On behalf of Law Offices of Randy Wilson and Kristin Postell, PLLC posted in Child Support on Saturday, April 27, 2019.

Raising children is a wonderful, but often difficult job. A whole new dynamic comes into play when the two parents involved are not in a relationship. Though many of them are able to make it work, there are other Texas parents who struggle to determine visitation, custody, financial support and other factors. This appears to be the situation for one Major League Baseball player, Miguel Cabrera, who is challenging the recent order for child support for two of his children with his former girlfriend.

The court decided that Cabrera must pay $20,000 a month in child support to his ex-girlfriend for their two children, who are aged 3 and 6. Cabrera believes that $13,000 a month is a more reasonable amount. The judge in his case also ruled that he should pay for his ex's home, worth $1 million, life insurance policies for the kids and almost $90,000 in unpaid child support. Representatives for Cabrera claim that the ex-girlfriend is only suing him because he will not leave his wife, with whom he has three other children.

Child custody: Grandparents appeal to lawmakers for visitation

On behalf of Law Offices of Randy Wilson and Kristin Postell, PLLC posted in Child Custody on Tuesday, April 16, 2019.

When issues surrounding child custody arise, people generally think of how parents will be affected. Of course, there are other people in children's lives that may also be affected by divorce and child custody agreements, including grandparents. When a divorce occurs, or two parents are not in a relationship with one another, grandparents may struggle to determine where they fit in the lives of their grandchildren. A group of Texas grandparents recently appealed to state lawmakers, requesting changes in the law that would strengthen their rights to obtain visitation.

State Representative Harold Dutton Jr. has put forth a bill in the Texas House of Representatives that would make grandparents' ability to see their grandchildren easier. Current law states that grandparent visitation is only granted if one parent is dead, in prison, mentally incapacitated or incompetent or otherwise not a part of the child's life. The grandparent must also provide evidence that the child's life will be negatively impacted without grandparent visitation and an expert witness has to testify on the grandparent's behalf. The new law only requires evidence of impact to the child's life.

Woman gets $150,000 in unpaid child support after 50 years

On behalf of Law Offices of Randy Wilson and Kristin Postell, PLLC posted in Child Support on Wednesday, April 3, 2019.

Texas parents who receive child support payments from their children's other parent rely on that income to care for their kids. If those payments aren't made, it can put financial, mental and emotional strain on the parent and the children as everyone struggles to make ends meet. Though it can sometimes seem as though hope is lost when a parent refuses to make these payments, one woman's story is inspiring people around the nation. At 74 years old, she will soon be getting $150,000 in unpaid child support from her ex-husband.

The woman and her husband divorced in 1970 and the man received a court order to pay child support to his ex-wife. The woman alleges that her ex's first check for child support bounced and that he moved out of the country afterwards. She attempted to move on with her life and provide for her daughter on her own income as an interior designer. The daughter in question, who is now in her 50s, said that she suffered due to her mother being forced to work so much in order to provide for them.

Six parents arrested for failure to pay child support

On behalf of Law Offices of Randy Wilson and Kristin Postell, PLLC posted in Child Support on Monday, March 18, 2019.

Most parents are only too happy to care and provide for their children. This can hold true even if parents who share children are not in a relationship with one another. However, for varying reasons, some parents have difficulty supporting their children financially. Even if a parent has a valid reason for struggling to make child support payments, it does not negate the responsibility to do so. Local Texas police recently made several arrests of parents who had failed to make their proper payments.

Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, sent out a news release regarding the arrests. He stated that his office's Child Support Division was responsible for the sweep. Local authorities were used to conduct the operation. Paxton said that parents have a moral responsibility to ensure that their children receive proper care. His hope is that this type of enforcement will have a positive impact on children's futures.

Nonprofit helps fathers make child support payments

On behalf of Law Offices of Randy Wilson and Kristin Postell, PLLC posted in Child Support on Monday, March 4, 2019.

When two parents are not in a relationship with one another, it often means that one of them is the primary caregiver for any children they share and the other makes child support payments to that parent. Though many Texas parents meet their obligation to pay child support without any problem, some parents do not. One out-of-state program seeks to rectify that by helping fathers, who frequently are the ones making child support payments, honor their responsibility and stay connected to their kids.

The nonprofit was founded in 2010 and aims to help fathers stay involved in their children's lives. It targets those who have difficulty making child support payments. One father was ordered by judge to utilize the program instead of being sent to jail for a third time for unpaid child support. The program offers job training, legal assistance, parenting classes and other helpful services. The man now makes his payments every month on time and interacts with his children on a regular basis.

El Paso police accused of not enforcing child custody orders

On behalf of Law Offices of Randy Wilson and Kristin Postell, PLLC posted in Child Custody on Tuesday, February 19, 2019.

Fathers often get a bad rap, particularly when they are no longer in a relationship with their child's mother. There is a stereotype that says that fathers are not interested in caring for their children, but it is often not true. In fact, many fathers in Texas allege that authorities are not enforcing child custody orders, which prevents them from spending valuable time with their children.

One father, who lives in Dallas, drives to El Paso almost every other weekend to see his 5-year-old daughter. He says that her mother is refusing to honor their court-ordered custody agreement, which is a felony. He also claims that the district attorney is refusing to prosecute the case, despite reports from Child Protective Services that the mother's boyfriend is abusive.

Singer Natalie Maines' husband requesting child support

On behalf of Law Offices of Randy Wilson and Kristin Postell, PLLC posted in Child Support on Monday, February 4, 2019.

Many people believe that being wealthy would make them immune from problems, but of course, that is not the case. Rich and famous people are just as susceptible to misfortune as anyone else. When wealthy people divorce, they can have a difficult a time in determining the provisions of child care. The recent divorce case of singer Natalie Maines, who is from Texas, illustrates this exact idea. She and her husband are attempting to work out the details of their divorce, which will possibly include child support.

Maines and her husband, actor Adrian Pasdar, had been married for seventeen years when she filed for divorce back in 2017. They had two sons together, and Pasdar claims that he put his career on hold to take care of them due to Maines' career. She is part of the country band The Dixie Chicks. Pasdar is best known for his parts on television series such as "Heroes" and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Move out of state granted in child custody case

On behalf of Law Offices of Randy Wilson and Kristin Postell, PLLC posted in Child Custody on Thursday, January 24, 2019.

When parents divorce or end their relationship, the well-being of their children is of the utmost concern. Generally, it is beneficial for children to have a relationship with both parents, unless one of them is abusive or neglectful. Depending on a particular family's circumstances, child custody can be arranged in varying ways, with one parent serving as the primary caregiver, or both equally caring for their kids. That agreement can often include a provision preventing a parent from moving out of state. Parents here in Texas may be interested in a recent case where a mother's request to relocate with her children to another state was upheld by an appellate court, as there is a great deal to learn from her situation.

The mother in question and her ex-husband were married 18 years ago, and they had two children together before divorcing in 2014. A court granted them joint custody, with the mother being the primary caregiver. She was also awarded child support and half the equity of their shared home, but the court order also prevented her from moving out of state.

Putting kids first: How to manage out-of-state parenting

On behalf of Law Offices of Randy Wilson and Kristin Postell, PLLC posted in Child Custody on Monday, January 7, 2019.

Divorce can be hard enough to begin with, though many families in Texas know all too well how especially tough it can be when children are involved. Most parents want whatever is best for their children and will strive to ensure that their kids' needs are put ahead of their own. However, that can be difficult to do even in the best of circumstances. If one spouse has to move away for any reason, it can make shared or joint custody difficult to manage. Though it may be necessary, out-of-state parenting can have adverse effects on children, as a recent interview with a teenage boy whose parents are divorced demonstrates.

The parents divorced when he was 4, and his mother eventually moved out of state. The parents shared custody, with the boy going to see his mother for holidays and during the summer. Though he assured the interviewer that he loved both of his parents, he conceded that he struggled with the differing values and rules that each of his parents held, as well as having to leave his friends and other relatives at the home he had with his father. Even at his young age, he recognized that his life would be easier if his parents lived closer together.