Absolutely, jail time needs to be a measure used to collect child support. My husband’s case is proof without the threat of jail time he would have never received a dime from his ex. My husband has raised his 4 children on his own without any help from the non-custodial parent from April ’07 to May ’10. She spent every waking moment explaining all the reasons that these darling children should be his responsibility and not hers at every turn. She wants to write letters that its not fair for her license to be suspended or not ethical to collect child support.
She lives in town yet does not ever request to see the children. She has even had the nerve to have another child when she can not support the four she left. She feels that she should not have to support her children at all. Further more has stated on many occasions because she does not come see them nor is she in their life much she should not have to have to be burdened with the costs of raising these children. Her most famous quote is its like “paying for a car you don’t have the privilege to drive”. Then in the same voice, will refused to have any communication with the custodial parent to facilitate visitation. Yet makes promises to the children regarding gifts, money and trips that never materialize. She gets them excited about a visit just to cancel at the last minute. Then calls the children from Disneyland or calls the kids bragging about what she has bought, yet when they ask about birthday, Christmas gifts or just a visit from mom, she has no money as it’s all her husbands money and he refuses to spend “his” money on “her” children. She is a stay at home mom for her “new family” and feels that is reason enough not to have to support her children.
So in steps the District Attorneys office. They contacted this woman and said if you don’t pay specific things are going to happen.
1. Reported to credit – No problem she does not care her credit’s already bad
2. Suspend licenses – no problem go ahead then I can play poor me and say I can’t work without my driver’s license even though there are work only licenses she can apply for
3. Contempt hearing where they can impose jail time.
Her new husband and her let the system go all the way to the contempt hearing three years after the divorce and guess what? When the judge says she is guilty of contempt of court she has the nerve to act surprised. Than all of a sudden she has money to pay. With- out the threat of jail time these four children would not have gotten any support at all. She still refused to pay on the medical amount she is court ordered to pay. Anything for the children is met with excuses from visitation, participation or just plain consistency. It does not matter as she refused to be an adult and communicated with her ex-husband. So my husband and I have to provide the children with all they need no matter what, but every little bit helps so it is helpful now that we are receiving something each month.