When a divorcing couple has children, the amount of child support either of them must pay is connected with state guidelines, but a judge can modify this amount. This usually occurs when one of the parents petitions the court for a review or a modification. A Child Support Attorney in Columbus IN represents clients in court to help them obtain a favorable outcome.
Reducing Payment Amounts
It generally is easier to find a Child Support Attorney in Columbus IN to help with petitioning for additional support than for having support reduced. The noncustodial parent may want to have support payments lowered because of job loss, a long layoff or an increase in expenses. Judges are rarely inclined to grant this request, however. Historically, support-paying parents would use various tactics like quitting a job to avoid making their payments to an ex-spouse they despised. This is a primary reason why having payments reduced has become so challenging.
Individual Circumstances
Nevertheless, the individual circumstances of each case can be enough to convince a judge to reduce payments, at least temporarily. For example, a judge may be willing to do this if the support-paying parent is battling a serious illness that prevents this person from working full time.
The lawyer might be able to persuade a judge if the client has lost a job and the other parent has since remarried or has experienced a substantial rise in income. This is less likely, however, as family court judges want the noncustodial parent to pay his or her fair share, as determined by state guidelines.
A parent paying support would need legal representation if a review was made during a relatively short time when extra money was being earned. Perhaps this person had the chance to take on extra hours at work for several months with time-and-a-half for 20 hours per week. Having payments increased because of this temporary rise in income will be a big problem when the extra work ends.
Finding Legal Assistance
When considering how to proceed with a modification request, the individual may contact an organization like Alcorn Sage Schwartz & Magrath LLP for legal counsel. Men and women may click here to get started.
