December 20, 2012 (Press-News.org) When a child's parents do not live together -- either because they have divorced or because they were never married -- the noncustodial parent will usually be required to make regular child support payments. Child support is designed to ensure that the child has the support and care of both parents, even if he or she only lives with one of them.
Child support payments can be expensive, but parents who are considering missing payments really should think twice. Missed child support payments don't just hurt the child -- they can also subject the parent to severe criminal and civil penalties.
A recent enforcement effort by the Texas Attorney General's Office and the Hidalgo County Sherriff should serve as a warning to any Texas parent who is behind on his or her child support. Together, the department targeted 64 parents who were labeled as some of the county's worst child support offenders. Combined, they owed more than $1,000,000 in back payments.
The enforcement effort started around 5:00 a.m. with officers visiting the men's homes. Those who were at home were arrested and booked into the Hidalgo County Jail. Those who were not at home were tracked down by sheriff's deputies. All told, 36 noncompliant parents were arrested in the roundup. If convicted, the parents could be required to spend up to six months in jail.
After the action, law enforcement warned noncompliant parents that it is much better for them to turn themselves in than to risk being arrested. Parents with child support warrants can avoid the embarrassment of a public arrest by reporting to their local sheriff's office. Parents who are behind on their child support obligations but are not yet subject to a warrant would be wise to contact the Texas Attorney General's Office to make arrangements.
Enforcing Texas child support obligations
The enforcement effort also serves as a timely reminder of the child support services that are available to custodial parents in Texas. Any parent who needs help collecting past-due child support can contact the Child Support Division of the Texas Attorney General's Office to ask for help. The Child Support Division can take a number of steps to help secure payment, including the following:
- Requiring employers to deduct child support payments from the noncustodial parent's wages
- Seizing tax refunds, lottery winnings or other windfall income
- Securing liens against the noncustodial parent's property
- Suspending the noncustodial parent's driver's license or professional license
- Suing the noncustodial parent to enforce the child support order
These are just a few of the ways to enforce a child support obligation. In addition to contacting the Attorney General's office, custodial parents would be wise to consult with an experienced Texas family law attorney who can help them secure the benefits their child is entitled to.
Article provided by Richard T Bell & Associates PC
Visit us at www.rtbell-law.com
Child Support Enforcement Effort Nets 36 in Hidalgo County
Child support payments can be expensive, but parents who are considering missing payments really should think twice. Missed child support payments don't just hurt the child -- they can also subject the parent to severe criminal and civil penalties.
2012-12-20
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Sinkhole Opens Up in Florida Front Yard
2012-12-20
A Florida family experienced quite a surprise one recent Monday morning: a large gaping sinkhole in their front yard.
Although the homeowner claims the sinkhole was only 25 feet wide when first noticed, it enlarged to nearly 60 feet wide and ten feet deep before engineers believed it was done growing. It should come as some relief that it is believed that the roots of nearby trees were the only thing that stopped the sinkhole from swallowing up the whole sidewalk.
Unfortunately however, the Daily Mail reports that the Florida homeowner has no sinkhole insurance, meaning ...
Federal Employment Protection for Disabled Veterans
2012-12-20
Every year, thousands of military personnel leave active duty to return to jobs that they held before they entered the service or search for new jobs. During their time in the service, many veterans suffered disabilities such as missing limbs, post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injuries. Unfortunately, because of this, it is not uncommon for servicemen and servicewomen to be discriminated against in in their current job or when searching for another job.
Fortunately, two federal laws protect veterans from employment discrimination based on their physical ...
Thoughts On the Newtown Incident
2012-12-20
Like all of you, I was shocked and saddened by the events in Newtown, Connecticut at Sandy Hook Elementary. I listened to President Obama speak at the memorial service and I was disappointed in what I did not hear him say. There were no specifics. After considering the amount of gun violence in this country, the awful mass shootings of the last four years, and terrible incidents like the Trayvon Martin shooting. The President of the United States did not specifically state that we need stricter gun control laws, up to and including a ban private ownership of assault rifles ...
What is Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)?
2012-12-20
Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a condition in which the brain does not receive enough oxygen. There are a variety of causes of HIE. Any injury and many health conditions can potentially cause oxygen deprivation to the brain. Most often, however, HIE is sustained by newborns during a birth injury or complication. While most of HIE's victims are infants, HIE is used to describe any brain injury that occurs from oxygen deprivation.
What are the dangers of HIE?
Within as little as five minutes of oxygen deprivation brain cells begin to die; causing serious and ...
California DUI Enforcement Grants Issued; is San Mateo County Next?
2012-12-20
Driving under the influence is a major concern for the police departments in San Mateo County and across California. Authorities are determined to crack down on drunk drivers.
To aid in these concentrated efforts, new grants have been awarded to several California police departments. However, residents express concern over these initiatives and some believe that they may simply encourage police to overreach their authority.
The new grants
Thus far, DUI grants have been awarded to two counties in California.
The Elk Grove Police Department recently received ...
Child Relocation Laws in Illinois
2012-12-20
Divorces and separations are emotionally turbulent times, particularly when a child is involved. Because of this, disputes regarding child custody, child support or even where the child will live can easily arise between parents. And, even if these specific issues have been resolved by an Illinois court order, other subsequent problems can quickly surface.
For instance, given today's tumultuous economy many parents are discovering that they need to move great distances in order to find work - sometimes across state lines. However, before a parent can remove a child from ...
Fast-Track Options for Social Security Disability Applicants
2012-12-20
Becoming disabled -- and therefore unable to work -- ranks at the top of many New Jersey residents' list of greatest fears. Thankfully, the Social Security Disability program exists to provide a safety net for individuals who have a serious condition that prevents them from earning an income.
Unfortunately, it can sometimes take several months to move an application all the way though the process from initial application to approval of benefits. Though the process can sometimes be streamlined by enlisting the help of an experienced Social Security Disability attorney, ...
NJ Medical Marijuana Law: Will it Protect Me Against Drug Charges?
2012-12-20
The medical marijuana law, one of the strictest laws of its kind in the country, will only cater to a select number of residents and is highly restrictive as to who may obtain a prescription. While waiting for the first dispensary, some New Jersey residents became impatient and took matters into their own hands, for example John Ray Wilson of Somerset County. Wilson began manufacturing his own marijuana to alleviate the debilitating symptoms of multiple sclerosis. The end result: Wilson is now serving five years in prison.
Only 175 doctors are authorized by the State ...
FHA Insures Loans for Second-Chance Borrowers
2012-12-20
After the housing bubble burst, the nation had a long road to recovery.
Part of the recovery includes home loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration -and some critics are saying that's exactly what got us into the mess in the first place: encouraging relaxed lending standards and backing mortgages to high-risk borrowers.
But others argue it's a necessary step toward economic recovery.
Will the Federal Housing Administration Ask For a Bailout?
As the FHA prepares to submit documents to Congress regarding its financial health, industry watchers speculate ...
Orlando Bankruptcy Attorneys, Clark & Washington, Speak Out About Lenny Bruce's Filing for Bankruptcy
2012-12-20
Clark & Washington, the best bankruptcy attorneys in Orlando, want to note the importance of appropriately managing your finances. The firm uses Lenny Bruce's financial troubles and forced bankruptcy as a reminder that even successful people can have financial troubles, and that it is possible to come back from this devastation.
Lenny Bruce was a popular, albeit radical, comedian in the 1960s, who was as famous for his obscene and offensive comedy as he was for his scams and money problems. Bruce found no topic taboo, often speaking out on politics, sex and religion ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
The most prominent trend in Holocaust commemoration worldwide is a growing focus on the rescuers of Jews
Prenatal exposure to air pollution is associated with lower cognitive performance in early childhood
AI learns better when it talks to itself
96% accurate footprint tracker for tiny mammals could help reveal ecosystem health
Balancing comfort and sustainability with climate-tailored housing
Not just sweet: the sugar branches that shape the brain
Spectral slimming for single-nanoparticle plasmons
Exploring the scientific connotation of the medicinal properties of toad venom (Chansu) — 'dispersing fire stagnation and opening orifices to awaken the spirit' — from the microscopic world of 5-HTR d
How early-career English language teachers can grow professionally, despite all odds
Achieving Ah‑level Zn–MnO2 pouch cells via interfacial solvation structure engineering
Rational electrolyte structure engineering for highly reversible zinc metal anode in aqueous batteries
Common environmental chemical found to disrupt hormones and implantation
Nitrate in drinking water linked to increased dementia risk while nitrate from vegetables is linked to a lower risk, researchers find
Smoke from wildfires linked to 17,000 strokes in the US alone
Air frying fatty food better for air quality than alternatives – if you clean it, study says
Most common methods of inducing labour similarly effective
Global health impacts of plastics systems could double by 2040
Low-cost system turns smartphones into emergency radiation detectors
Menopause linked to loss of grey matter in the brain, poorer mental health and sleep disturbance
New expert guidelines standardize diagnosis and monitoring of canine dementia
Study links salty drinking water to higher blood pressure, especially in coastal areas
Study reveals struggles precede psychosis risk by years, suggesting prevention opportunities
Nearly half of CDC surveillance databases have halted updates, raising concerns about health data gaps
Study compares ways to support opioid deprescribing in primary care
Primary care home visits for older adults declined after payment policy changes and COVID-19 in Ontario, Canada
Linking financial incentives to improved blood sugar levels may support type 2 diabetes management
Care continuity linked to fewer hospital visits for older adults receiving home-based care
Produce prescriptions improve nutrition for medicaid patients with diabetes
CRISP translation guide enables translating research-reporting guidelines across languages
How patients value visit type, speed of care, and continuity in primary care
[Press-News.org] Child Support Enforcement Effort Nets 36 in Hidalgo CountyChild support payments can be expensive, but parents who are considering missing payments really should think twice. Missed child support payments don't just hurt the child -- they can also subject the parent to severe criminal and civil penalties.