What Obstacles Could I Face with Oklahoma Child Support?
Whether you need to start a child support request for the first time during an Oklahoma divorce or find yourself dealing with an ex-spouse who refuses to pay child support, there are a lot of common obstacles people can face during this time. Some obstacles involve finding your ex-spouse and others involve enforcing your ex-spouse to pay child support. In either case, an experienced Oklahoma Family Attorney can help when these obstacles become overwhelming.
Common Legal Obstacles with Oklahoma Child Support
When you want to start a child custody order through the family court, the main Oklahoma child support obstacles you could face include locating your ex-spouse, establishing the need for child support, and calculating how much child support will be paid. If you do not know the exact address of where your ex-spouse moved after or during the divorce, then the Child Support Enforcement (CSE) agency can help.
All the CSE needs to help is your ex-spouse’s employer name and Social Security number. This information can be used by the CSE to locate your ex-spouse either by asking the employer or using other methods like asking relatives of your ex-spouse. The reason the location of your ex-spouse is so important is that the CSE cannot attain an order or enforcement for child support without notifying your ex-spouse in advance and the notification cannot be sent without knowing where your ex-spouse lives.
Like other states, Oklahoma follows certain guidelines for calculating exactly how much child support your ex-spouse should pay. This often requires information about the current income of your spouse and what their financial assets consist of. The main obstacle for establishing the need for child support is determining whether the child support order is upheld by the best interest of the child. With the in-depth knowledge of Oklahoma laws and legal processes, a lawyer can help with these steps.
Overcoming Oklahoma Child Support Obstacles
When it comes to your ex-spouse not paying child support in Oklahoma, you have the obstacles of enforcing your ex-spouse to make these payments. There are several levels of enforcement you can go through with the help of a lawyer, starting with income withholding. This means child support will automatically be taken from your ex-spouse’s paycheck.
Any child support that was not paid in the past can also be recollected through your ex-spouse’s tax refunds. If paying child support is still a problem, the CSE can place liens on your ex-spouse’s property like vehicles and houses. Continued problems with not paying Oklahoma child support can lead to seizing financial assets or benefits, denying passports, posting bond, and suspending your ex-spouse’s drivers or occupational license. The last resort is charging your ex-spouse with civil or criminal contempt.
Family Lawyer in Oklahoma
Navigating through all the obstacles of child support can be frustrating. Try working with an Oklahoma Divorce Lawyer if your ex-spouse is fighting you back on child support orders. All you have to do is call the Putnam Law Office today at (405)-849-9149 for a consultation. Mr. Putnam is an Oklahoma City, OK attorney who is dedicated to his clients.