25 yr old in OH seeking back support from father in OK

[johnw25]

I am 25 and live in Cincinnati, OH currently. My father never paid tens of thousands of dollars in child support when I was growing up. He lives in Oklahoma. During the time the child support was owed, when I was growing up, he lived in Oklahoma and, for some time, in South Carolina. During that same time, I lived in Texas. I do not know specifics about what my mom did or didn't do during that time to get that money and I don't know the exact amount he owes. I talked to someone with the state of Oklahoma who says there is nothing I can do now. Is that true? Is it possible I could sue him in some sort of civil suit for the money he never paid? If not, could my mom sue? Thanks.

 

[irish223]

If there was a court order for child support, then your mother can file for contempt for the arrears. She will have to file in the state and county where the order originated. There is no statute of limitations on child support arrearages in Texas, Oklahoma, or South Carolina, so she should be able to pursue. You cannot since the money was owed to your mother.

 

[Duranie]

child support is owed to your mom, not you. If there was an active order, your mom might be able to pursue it she needs to keep on top of child support enforcement. She should have gone after it then though. It will be harder now to collect since you are emancipated. If your father works it is possible she can do a wage deduction for the arrears but she really might want to call the state child support enforcement, or a child support collection agency like supportkids. They might be able to help her get arrears. If Dad though has no traceable income, no bank accounts and no assets, it will be very hard to collect.

 

[irish223]

It will be harder now to collect since you are emancipated.

Why? What difference does his emancipation make when there is an arrearage?

a child support collection agency like supportkids

OP, be sure to fully research any private support collection agency before signing on with them (or before your mother signs). There are problems with many of them.

 

[Duranie]

CSE is so understaffed in most states, they will focus on collecting for families that still have minor children. It is not unusual to see CSE or the Ag's office close old an old case to free up the backlog even without the CP's permission. She might have better luck contacting a child suppoer collection agency.