Legal Assistance For Child Support

A child can bring a substantial amount of joy into the life of his or her parents, but sometimes financial problems can make raising him or her a stressful journey. A common reason why some parents face financial struggles with raising their children is because they have to do everything on their own, such as when one parent doesn't assist. If you have been raising your child alone and want to receive child support from the absent parent, hiring an attorney might be necessary. There is no need to continue stressing over trying to get money from your child's other parent if he or she doesn't want to cooperate. After reading the content below, you will know how to legally go about obtaining child support with help from an attorney.

Paternity Can Be Proven

Whether you are the mother or father in the case, the paternity of the child must be proven before anything else can happen. The court will want to make sure the rightful father is involved as a way to avoid making a judgment that can't be held as legal. For instance, if you are a father petitioning for the mother to pay child support, you must prove that the child is biologically yours or legally yours through adoption. A judge will order a paternity test to be performed, or all parties involved can face legal consequences for not cooperating. A paternity test will not be necessary if one has already been performed in the past, but your attorney might ask for a copy of the paternity test results or birth certificate.

Income & Assets Will Be Assessed

Before a child support judgment can be made in court, an attorney will likely perform an assessment of your income and assets. He or she can also investigate the absent parent to determine what his or her income and assets are valued at. The child support amount is usually based on the financial capabilities of both parents. If the other parent doesn't currently have an income, a judgment can still be made, but he or she may be given some time to begin making child support payments. In the meantime, the child support payment amounts will accumulate and the other party will still be expected to pay as per the orders of the judge. Failing to pay child support after being ordered to by the judge can lead to the other party going to jail, but it depends on the state laws.

To learn more, contact a law firm like the Crome Law Firm.

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