When a marriage involving children ends in divorce, two issues are generally at the top of most parents to-do lists. Child custody andchild support may be the biggest obstacles that some Texas couples tackle over the course of their divorce proceedings. One city has recently aimed to improve wait times for child support hearings by hiring a second judge. Although wait times have indeed gone down, residents still claim that not much else has changed.
A Texas mother whose son still lives with her full time has been ordered to pay her ex child support. She claims that after the court required that his child support payments be increased, her ex fought for custody of their teenage son so that she would be the one to foot the bill instead. In addition to child support, the ex has also requested that she pay for insurance. The problem is that while the father has been granted legal custody, the son still resides with his mother, which seemingly has created a situation beyond repair.
Additionally, gender bias associated with child support can be a touchy subject for some. One stepmother claims that the problem is very real. She alleges that her husband never received any of his court ordered child support over the course of the five years in which he had custody of his daughter. When the roles were reversed, and it was his ex-wife who gained custody of the young girl, it only took a month before he was having to send child support payments to his former wife.
Child support can be an essential aspect of many Texas children’s lives. The financial support from the non-custodial parent may provide a number of things ranging from fees for after school activities to the food sitting on the dinner table. However, when legal entanglements snare the process, it is imperative for both parents, whether they are paying or receiving support, to review the previously agreed upon support agreement in order to determine whether or not changes are necessary.
