On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Paternity/Child Support on Tuesday, November 26, 2019.
Missouri state Rep. Jim Murphy, from Oakville, recently joined other legislators and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft to discuss various topics currently occupying state lawmakers. The town hall style gathering took place at Grant’s View Library Branch in South St. Louis and aimed to engage the public. Rep. Murphy wanted to call attention to child support and the possible misinformation that currently has some residents confused.
Sometimes, a person may come across a social media post that appears to be a legitimate news source. Unless a person carefully researches the claims made by such a post, he or she may easily be misled by the contents. Recently, rumors that parents will no longer face criminal penalties for failing to pay child support have some residents confused.
While indeed, some lawmakers are trying to make the nonpayment of child support a civil matter instead of a criminal matter, Mr. Murphy emphasized that state law has not changed. Under current law, failure to pay child support can be considered a criminal offense, and a parent can face fines, loss of driving privileges and even jail time. Perhaps legislators will succeed in changing the laws in the future, but despite internet rumors, state law remains clear and unchanged at this time.
Child support orders are legally enforceable. A parent wanting to establish, modify or enforce a child support order likely has questions about how to proceed. An experienced family law attorney can help a Missouri parent become familiar with the proceedings involved and and help achieved a beneficial result.
