Many non-custodial fathers in Michigan fail to pay child support. These delinquent fathers can sometimes get away with it for months – and even years – simply because the child’s mother does not pursue legal action out of fear that it will strain an already-rocky relationship.
While a mother might think they are doing well by preserving the relationship with the child’s father, they are actually just enabling the father to skirt his obligations, which ultimately has a negative effect on the child
Michigan moms can turn to a recent, high-profile case that frames this point perfectly. Bristol Palin, daughter of Alaska governor and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, finally pursued the collection of unpaid child support from the father of her 3-year-old son. Palin argued that her child’s father has not issued a child support payment in the last 22 months and is behind a total of $39,000. The child’s father is instructed to pay $1,750 a month to Palin.
Palin and her legal team put off trying to collect the unpaid child support in hopes that the child’s father would come around and fulfill the obligation every non-custodial father must. This, in hindsight, was not a good idea, as some people will only act when they are forced.
Palin’s lawyer also said that Palin was hesitant to take legal action, where the father’s wages could be garnished, because she did not want to pull the already estranged couple further apart.
Reports claim that the father is aware of his delinquency as he sent out a tweet during this year’s Super Bowl about how he wanted to win his bet on the game so he could potentially pay down on some of the child support interest.
Parents need to be held accountable for the payments that they are ordered to make for child support. When they are delinquent, it may be appropriate for the other parent to take legal action.
Source: New York Daily News, “Bristol Palin: Levi Johnston owes me $39K in child support,” Brian Browdie, April 7, 2012