Virginia residents may agree that divorce often creates a difficult emotional situation for children. They feel insecure as their parents engage in a war of words. What some parents fail to recognize is that while they might have fallen out of love, their children still want them to live together under the same roof. Constantly keeping the best interest of the child in mind, the Virginia courts generally grant custody to one parent. The other parent is usually ordered to pay child support.
The parent who has been ordered to pay child support must understand that it is mandatory to pay, in Virginia as well as everywhere else in the country. However, sometimes, a parent may stop paying child support. So, what are the custodial parent's options? In an earlier post, we discussed that the custodial parent should immediately contact the district office that is in charge of that particular child custody case. At that point, it may be helpful for the custodial parent to consult an attorney who can offer the proper legal advice regarding the next step to take.
The Virginia law firm of Jeffrey A. Vogelman and Associates has many years of experience at handling family law matters, including child support. The child support office will advise the parent to wait 10 days before taking any action against the non-custodial parent. Even if the custodial parent does not receive the child support payment at that point, an attorney may be able to facilitate communication between the custodial parent and the child support enforcement division.
Failure to pay child support may mean that the non-custodial parent will face federal charges. Normally, parents are asked to contact the state authorities; however, a parent may still wish to contact the federal government in the event that the non-custodial parent is a repeat offender. In that case, the custodial parent may also need the support of an attorney who can offer advice on how to proceed.
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