12Law Arrow 12Law Arrow  Easy Questions  
12Law Arrow 12Law Arrow Instant Legal Documents
 
 
FINANCIAL & MARITAL

Cohabitation Agreement coming soon!
Separation Agreement coming soon!
No-Fault Divorce coming soon!
Bankruptcy coming soon!
 
 

Do I Need a Lawyer to File for Child Support in Zip Code 23612

Do I Need a Lawyer to File for Child Support in Zip Code 23612


You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.
 
- Maya Angelou


In many scenarios it is not required to have a lawyer to file for child support. You can file for child support yourself by filing the appropriate forms at your local Probate and Family Court.

You can also get orders for: 1) protection from abuse; 2) establishing paternity; 3) custody and visitation; 4) divorce; and 5) modification of an existing child support order if circumstances have changed. After you file your complaint, you may need to get it served by a sheriff or a constable. While there may be filing fees involved, you may be able to get them waived if your income is low or if you are on public assistance.

Many judges are patient and understanding with plaintiffs who do not have a lawyer. Child support is usually a standard calculation based on expenses and income and the court can help in enforcing the support collection.The federal Family Support Act of 1988 required every state to establish numerical child support guidelines. The guidelines are designed to overcome three of the persistent problems in the award of child support: 1) insufficient levels of support; 2) inconsistency of criteria used by judges; and 3) inefficiency in the adjudication of child support. They also serve to make the process more straightforward for custodial parents seeking child support without a lawyer.

The state guidelines are designed to balance the child's needs and the non-custodial parents' ability to pay. In most states, the basic child support obligation is calculated by combining the incomes of the parents and multiplying that figure by the percentages set forth in the guidelines. These percentages vary according to the number of children. This number, the total child support obligation due, is then assigned to the parents according to the proportion of their individual contributions to the parents' total income. The guidelines may be modified to award additional support for 1) child-care expenses; 2) maintenance of health and life insurance, or reimbursement of health-care expenses; 3) private school and college tuition; and 4) child-care expenses for parents seeking work.

Courts have the discretion to deviate from the guidelines for unique circumstances such as: 1) educational needs of either parent; 2) the needs of other children supported by the noncustodial parent; 3) extraordinary expenses required for the noncustodial parent to visit their children. In most cases, child support is awarded based on wages of the noncustodial parent reported on income tax returns.

Support is based on parenthood not marriage and may be awarded during or after a marriage, in a divorce proceeding, or in a separate support proceeding whether or not the parties have ever been married. The proceeding is usually relatively simple, because the issues are generally limited to the application of guidelines percentages to the income of the parents. In most states, the court will order that the child support be deducted from the noncustodial parent's wages by their employer and transmitted automatically to the custodial parent.

If the noncustodial parent falls behind on child support payments, there are many enforcement vehicles available in most states. These include income garnishing (deducting money from the noncustodial parent's wages), making a negative report to credit reporting agencies, collecting past-due child support from lottery prizes, intercepting tax refunds, seizing property (e.g. real estate and bank accounts), etc.

Many states have a parent locator service. If the noncustodial parent lives in a different state, the Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act ("URESA") or a comparable statuteprovides for interstate collection of child support.

Transfers of assets to avoid payment of child support can often be set aside by a court. Furthermore, if the court determines that a parent transferred away resources to avoid child support obligations, that could form the basis for a finding of willful violation of a court order and result in a jail sentence.

Contact your local child support enforcement agency for more information.

If you are the noncustodial parent who is faced with child support that is more than you can pay, it may be possible to get the support order lowered to a more manageable level, especially if circumstances have changed.

Only you can decide if hiring a lawyer is right for you. Check out 12Law.com for listings of lawyers in your neighborhood.
 
Personalize & Print a Free VA Last Will Create This Document
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
 
Personalize & Print a Free VA Living Will Create This Document
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Related Legal Services near Zip Code 23612
Jwn Escari
4105 Fairfax Pkwy
Alexandria, VA 22312
(703) 875-9580
Attorneys, Immigration Law Attorneys, Immigration & Naturalization Consultants, General Practice Att
Long Amy
85 S Bragg St # 200F
Alexandria, VA 22312
(703) 270-9235
General Practice Attorneys, Attorneys, Legal Service Plans
Crandall David J
110 Starling Ave
Martinsville, VA 24112
(276) 632-9226
Attorneys
Sprague & Hixson LLP
10 E Church St # 8B
Martinsville, VA 24112
(276) 638-8942
Social Security & Disability Law Attorneys, Attorneys, Legal Service Plans
Darren Delafield
4311 Williamson Rd NW
Roanoke, VA 24012
(540) 366-8665
Bankruptcy Law Attorneys, Attorneys, Legal Service Plans
Hance John P Attorney
25 W Church St
Martinsville, VA 24112
(877) 797-8524
Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning Attorneys,  Attorneys,  Real Estate Attorneys,  General Practice At
Ford James H
25 W Church St
Martinsville, VA 24112
(276) 632-8433
General Practice Attorneys, Attorneys
Daniel Medley & Kirby PC
106 E Main St
Martinsville, VA 24112
(888) 994-8126
Probate Law Attorneys,  Attorneys,  Criminal Law Attorneys,  Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning Attorn
Jennings & Jennings
10138 Hull Street Rd
Midlothian, VA 23112
(804) 276-8011
Corporation & Partnership Law Attorneys,  Legal Service Plans,  Attorneys,  Criminal Law Attorneys,
North & Assoc PC
5913 Harbour Park Dr
Midlothian, VA 23112
(804) 249-7907
Attorneys,  Bankruptcy Services,  Legal Service Plans,  Bankruptcy Law Attorneys
North Pia J
5913 Harbour Park Dr
Midlothian, VA 23112
(804) 249-7907
Attorneys,  Bankruptcy Services,  Legal Service Plans,  Bankruptcy Law Attorneys
John P Frye
3353 Orange Ave NE
Roanoke, VA 24012
(540) 767-7800
General Practice Attorneys, Attorneys, Legal Service Plans
Lambert Giles Malissa
106 E Market St
Martinsville, VA 24112
(276) 632-7000
Bankruptcy Law Attorneys, Attorneys, Legal Service Plans
Richardson Grant A
100 S Main St
Bridgewater, VA 22812
(540) 828-6856
Attorneys, Legal Service Plans
Harrold Perry H
68 W Main St
Martinsville, VA 24112
(276) 638-6483
Attorneys, Legal Service Plans
Harris Wilford
10132 Hull Street Rd Ste D
Midlothian, VA 23112
(804) 674-5660
General Practice Attorneys, Attorneys
Midlothian Legal Associates, PLC
10132 Hull Street Rd Suite D
Midlothian, VA 23112
(804) 674-5660
Real Estate Attorneys, Attorneys, Legal Service Plans
Twin Ridge Title Agency Inc
10132 Hull Street Rd
Midlothian, VA 23112
(804) 674-5660
Attorneys, Insurance
Armstrong Ward L
1 Walnut St
Martinsville, VA 24112
(877) 788-5594
Accident & Property Damage Attorneys,  Attorneys,  Criminal Law Attorneys,  Personal Injury Law Atto
Burlington Robert M
13743 Coronado Ct
Manassas, VA 20112
(703) 791-5550
Attorneys
Chandler Legal Services
6061 Harbour Park Drive, Ste B
Midlothian, VA 23112
(804) 739-5480
Attorneys, Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning Attorneys, General Practice Attorneys, Estate Planning At
Kalfus & Nachman PC
1322 Plantation Rd NE
Roanoke, VA 24012
(540) 904-5296
General Practice Attorneys, Attorneys, Legal Service Plans
Paoli Luis A
5350 Shawnee Rd Ste 303
Alexandria, VA 22312
(703) 354-4658
General Practice Attorneys, Attorneys, Legal Service Plans
Joseph A Blaszkow Law Office
85 S Bragg St
Alexandria, VA 22312
(571) 335-4646
General Practice Attorneys, Attorneys, Legal Service Plans
12Law.com   |  NASHVILLE, TN USA   |  CONTACT US