Pennsylvania Family Law Blog

Former Major League Baseball star, Troy Neel, has been sentenced to five years of probation for failing to pay more than $700,000 in child support – the worst deadbeat record in Texas history. According to this Associated Press news report, a federal judge in San Antonio, Texas, sentenced the former Oakland Athletics first baseman, who could have received a maximum penalty of two years in prison. The judge spared him the prison sentence only because he would not have been able to pay child support while incarcerated. Neel was ordered to pay $779,000 in restitution. The 43-year-old Neel apparently lived in a South Pacific island resort when the $5,000 monthly payments for his two children went unpaid.

Child support payments have their purpose, but more importantly they are a significant part of a divorce agreement where one parent promises to pay the other monthly to support their children. Failure to pay child support in Pennsylvania can result in serious consequences including jail or prison time, suspension of passport or driver’s licenses, freezing of bank accounts and assets, as well as garnishing paychecks.

Skilled and aggressive representation from an experienced Pennsylvania child support attorney is a must if you are in a tough situation – whether it is paying up the money or as a parent trying to collect the child support you are due. Please call the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz for a free consultation and evaluation of your case. We will ensure that your legal rights are protected and that your situation is promptly and satisfactorily resolved.

The state of Illinois has reportedly collected a record amount of child support for the fifth consecutive year, according to this news report. The department has apparently collected a record $1.38 billion for custodial parents of Illinois children during fiscal year 2009, slightly higher than last year. The department is also working to deny hunting and fishing license permits for parents who fail to pay child support. They are also working to suspend these parents’ driver’s licenses.

Pennsylvania too has very strict laws in place that make penalties for parents who fail to pay child support very severe. Any amount owed in back payments are known as “arrearages” and a parent who does not pay them can face penalties including jail time, driving license and passport suspension, bank account seizure, reporting of failure to pay to credit agencies, seizures of assets, garnishing paychecks and so on. If you need advice on how to collect child support that is owed to you or pay up child support that you owe, please consult with an experienced Pennsylvania child support attorney for legal advice and counsel.

The Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz has years of experience dealing with complicated divorce laws, child custody and child support issues. Our attorneys can help you recover the child support you are legally entitled to, help draft a child support contract or help parents who have not paid child support in some time make that payment without facing penalties. Call us today for a free consultation.

According to a recent report, Andre Iguodala, Sixers basketball star, is facing a child support lawsuit by Clayanna Warthen, of South New Jersey. The female child, London, was born this year in May and Warthen is seeking temporary support of $12,000 to $15,000 a month. Often, those involved in child support disputes would prefer for matters regarding which parent pays, how much should be paid, for how long, and by what means, to all be settled out of court if possible. However, elements of child support can get complicated fast and in this case, litigation has proved necessary.

As reported by his attorney, Iguodala feels “blessed to have a healthy new daughter” and he will give her “all of the support and love she needs for a happy and full life.”

During her pregnancy, Iguodala provided Warthen with $3,000 to $4,000 multiple times to help support her and their child; however, Warthen expects higher sums to help her provide for London. In the suit, Warthen is asking the court to have Iguodala reveal his finances in which he signed a contract worth an alleged $80 million. She is also demanding that her daughter receive the “same opportunities and benefits any child born of the defendant.” Iguodala also has a son born in 2007.

No matter which state a child support dispute takes place in, the same obstacle to reach a compromised decision in the best interest of the child exists, although the law dictates how this is to be done in different ways. Even though this child support lawsuit is taking place in New Jersey, if it were taking place in Pennsylvania, the amount of child support awarded by the court would be established in accordance with the Pennsylvania Support guideline, which was developed for children of separated or divorced parents to attain the same amount of parental incomes as if the parents were together. (Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 1910.16.)

Whether you think you aren’t receiving enough child support or are paying too much, the experienced Philadelphia child support lawyer, Sheryl R. Rentz, is available to help you with your case. To ensure the well-being of your child and the defense of your rights, call the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz for a free consultation today.

Officials in Montgomery County are cracking down on parents – deadbeat dads and moms – who owe back Pennsylvania child support payments, according to this news report. If parents don’t pay their child support arrearages by the deadline, Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies will actively go after parents who owe the money, officials say. The Sheriff’s Department says it could get ugly. Deputies won’t just contact the parents, but also their employers and basically “do whatever it takes to these people that owe child support to get them to pay it and stand up to their responsibilities.”

In Pennsylvania, failure to comply with a child support order is punishable by up to six months in jail. Those living outside of Pennsylvania who owe money can expect to be contacted by federal agents. There is about $9 million in outstanding child support payments just in Montgomery County, officials say.

If you are a parent in Pennsylvania who wants to pay these child support dues after not making them for a while or if you are a parent who would like to collect what is owed to you, please consult an experienced Pennsylvania child support attorney for free advice. If you owe child support arrearages, you could face several serious consequences including jail time, driving license and passport suspension, bank account seizure, seizure of certain incomes and assets in addition to the embarrassment of it all.

The Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz has handled child support cases in Pennsylvania for years. We offer free and confidential consultation on any potential case regarding child support, child custody or divorce issues. Call us today to find out more about your legal rights and options.

A Philadelphia man, who was forced to pay child support for another man’s daughter and went to jail for falling behind on those payments, is suing two Pennsylvania counties alleging that officials changed his personal identifying information to make him appear to be the child’s father. According to this Associated Press news report, Walter Andre Sharpe Jr. names Dauphin and Montgomery counties in the federal lawsuit filed in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Sharpe is seeking unspecified damages. He apparently spent more than a year in jail in Dauphin County where the girl’s mother lived. Sharpe has also been denied reimbursement for the $12,000 he has paid so far in child support – for a child that apparently wasn’t his own.

This is no doubt a shocking story. It’s hard enough in these tough economic times to make Pennsylvania child support payments to support your own children, but to be forced to pay money to a child who is not your own is simply appalling. The DA apparently decided against filing criminal charges against county officials after an investigation. It seems terribly unjust to Sharpe who was not even given his money back.

Such situations can be extremely tough because skipping child support payments is an extremely serious issue, as it should be. There are many Pennsylvania deadbeat dads who fall back on or don’t pay child support. While those dads should be held accountable, what happened in this case is unreasonable and wrong.

If you are involved in a child support case in Pennsylvania – whether you want to make your payments or have payments made by the parent of your child- please call the Law Office of Sheryl R. Rentz to find out how we can help you with your particular situation. Call experienced Philadelphia child support lawyer Sheryl R. Rentz today at 610-645-0100 for a free consultation. We will remain on your side and fight to protect your legal rights.

The slowing economy and weak job market is having an adverse effect on child support, Illinois officials are finding out. According to this news report in the Chicago Tribune, a lot of parents are asking for a break because they have lost their jobs or have some other economic hardship. The Illinois Division of Child Support is apparently seeing a slowdown in collections and an increase in support paid out of unemployment benefits. This trend is understandably putting a strain on custodial parents who depend on that child support check to keep their households running. Illinois law requires parents who don’t have custody to pay between 20 and 50 percent of his or her income, depending on the number of children involved.

Pennsylvania has very strict laws that make penalties for those who don’t pay child support extremely severe. Any amount owed in back payments is known as “arrearages.” The parent who fails to make those payments can face harsh penalties including jail time, driver’s license and passport suspension, bank account seizure, reporting of failure to pay to credit agencies and seizure of certain incomes and properties.

Whether you are a parent who wants to collect child support or a parent who is seeking assistance to make these payments, the Law Office of Sheryl R. Rentz can help you. Please contact us for a free and comprehensive consultation to learn more information about your legal rights and options. We can help you recover your legally entitled child support, help couples who are worried about making a child support contract, or even help parents who have not paid child support for some time. Call experienced Philadelphia child support attorney Sheryl R. Rentz today at 610-645-0100 for a free consultation.

Beaver County’s domestic relations division is apparently charging those receiving alimony payments a new $120 annual handling fee citing poor economic conditions as an excuse. According to this news article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the fee covers those receiving spousal support but not child support payments through the county. The fee went into effect after an order was signed by Beaver County President Judge John McBride in April. The new order was published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, a gazette of statewide rules and proposals, the report said. County officials told the newspaper that that they did not want to tap into the pool of those receiving child support payments because it would affect children.

Alimony, maintenance or spousal support is an obligation established by divorce law that is based on the premise that both spouses have an absolute obligation to support each other during the marriage unless they are legally separated. In some cases, this obligation may continue after the separation or divorce. There are many different types of alimony in Pennsylvania, which would depend on the circumstances of the divorce, the length of the marriage and the duration of the spousal support. Alimony is often a hotly contested issue in divorce cases.

The outcome of your divorce case could alter your financial situation for the long term, possibly for the rest of your life. If you are going through a divorce and need legal representation to make sure that your rights and interests are protected, please contact skilled Pennsylvania divorce attorney and alimony lawyer, Sheryl R. Rentz for a free consultation. Our office has years of experience handling divorce cases and can assist you in any of your alimony issues. Please contact us today to have qualified and aggressive legal representation on your side immediately.

Men can stop making child support payments after learning through DNA testing that they are not the father of the child, under a legislation approved by the Tennessee House this month. According to this news report, House Bill 805, sponsored by Rep. Stacey Campfield passed on a 66-24 vote. The measure, called the “baby daddy bill,” is about being fair, Campfield has said. This of course will not apply in cases where the man has legally adopted the child. Another provision in this bill also states that the child support payments are to continue for 60 days after “childhood is disestablished.”

Genetic testing has changed the face of Philadelphia divorce cases – especially in matters of child custody and child support – in recent years. If you have been paying child custody to the mother of a child who is not yours, it is no doubt an unfair situation. However, in such cases, it is the child who suffers. The mistake may have been the mother’s, but it is the child’s quality of life that suffers when the mother stops receiving payments.

In cases where paternity is in question, you need a skilled Pennsylvania child custody lawyer with experience in child support matters. Whether you are a mother who wants to prove the father’s paternity or a father who wants to prove otherwise, the Law Offices of Sheryl Rentz can help you. If you proceed without a skilled attorney on your side, you may suffer financially for the rest of your life. Please do not let this happen to you. Call Sheryl R. Rentz today for a free consultation and objective evaluation of your case.

A judge in Cincinnati has ordered former Bengals wide receiver Darnay Scott to be arrested after Scott missed a court appearance in his child support case. According to this UPI news report, the 36-year-old Scott was scheduled to appear in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court to face two charges of failing to pay child support. The judge ordered Scott’s $5,000 bond revoked and issued an arrest warrant. Scott apparently owes $10,686 in arrears to his two daughters, ages 11 and 6.

When one parent fails to pay his or her required child support payments to the other parent, the amount owed in back payments are known as arrearages. Pennsylvania has very strict laws that make punishments for offenders extremely severe. Parents who do not pay their child support arrears can face stiff penalties including jail time, driver’s license and passport suspension, bank account seizure and reporting to credit agencies. When a parent owes arrears and refuses to pay them, you can file an enforcement application with the court. Also, Pennsylvania child support laws allow for imposition of penalties once a child support enforcement application has been filed.

If you are owed child support payments, or if you are a parent who has not paid child support but would like to make that payment and clear your record, please call the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz for a free consultation. Our experienced Pennsylvania child support attorneys will help you with your child support case no matter what your situation is. Call us today for a free case evaluation.

Police in Milford, Delaware, arrested a deadbeat dad who tried to flee when he was pulled over for speeding. According to an ABC News report, a state trooper tried to pull over Eric Darling when he was clocked doing 68 mph in a 50 mph zone. Darling apparently slowed down and pulled onto the shoulder before fleeing the scene. The trooper pursued him. Darling lost control of his vehicle on a curve and it fell into a ditch and rolled over several times, the news report stated.

Authorities say Darling was wanted by the Kent County Family Court because he owed arrears on child support. Officials did not say how much he owed in child support payments. Darling did not suffer major injuries in the crash, but will face charges related to the police pursuit and the accident after he is released from the hospital.

Failure to pay Philadelphia child support per the court ruling can cause serious problems for the parent. The penalties for not paying child support can be harsh and may include suspension of passport and driving privileges and seizure of bank accounts. Please do not let this happen to you.

If you believe that you cannot afford a child support payment, if you have lost your job, or suffered a setback, please consult an experienced Pennsylvania child support lawyer immediately. At the Law Office of Sheryl R. Rentz, we can help you sort out your situation by taking care of the legal process and paperwork so you can focus on your children, family and other aspects of your life that should take priority. Call us today at 610-645-0100 for a free and confidential consultation.