Family court judges who hear child support cases normally see very similar arguments. Such hearings usually involve a mother and father who have ended their union and are struggling over matters concerning the continued financial support of their shared children. However, courts in California and across the nation also hear child support arguments that deviate from this norm.
An example can be found in a recent judgment that has stirred quite a bit of debate. A man was called into court to answer for years of past due child support, totaling nearly $23,000. However, the man claims that he is not the father of the child in question, an assertion that is backed up by DNA testing.
When the man’s girlfriend told him that she was pregnant some 13 years ago, he had doubts about whether the child was truly his. However, he signed the baby’s birth certificate, believing that it was the right thing to do. After that relationship dissolved, the man sought DNA testing from the child’s mother. When that testing was finally obtained, he was proven to have no biological connection to the child.
The judge in the case seemed to take a sympathetic approach toward the man’s plight. While the man was ordered to pay for the outstanding child support obligation, he will be allowed to do so at a rate of one dollar per month, interest-free. At that rate, he should be fully paid up in approximately 1,917 years. This case serves as a cautionary tale to all men who have concerns about the paternity of their children. It also demonstrates the wide range of issues that can come before a family court in California or elsewhere.
Source: NBC12.com, “Judge orders $1 a month in child support for the next 1000+ years,” Yvette Yeon, Feb. 27, 2013
