Many Connecticut readers are probably aware of the power of social media. Now, some agencies are using it as a tool to track down deadbeat parents who have not been making required child support payments.
In some cases, the custodial parent has been required to provide for a child while the non-custodial parent has paid little or no support. The difficulty of supporting a child may be compounded when a child has special needs or becomes ill, and the financial and emotional support falls on only one parent.
Employees from district attorney offices are browsing social websites looking for parents who claim they do not have money to support their children but are posting evidence to the contrary online. One parent bragged about earning a lot of money and posted pictures with stacks of currency, yet only had made one payment of the required monthly child support. Another parent who was not making support payments wrote about having money to buy a recording studio.
When parents divorce, they and the courts usually agree that the best interests of the child should take the highest consideration when issues of custody and support are decided. A parent who subsequently fails to acknowledge and fulfill the obligations put in place by the judicial system may be subject to criminal charges. Support from a family law attorney may provide input to the situation to help assure that child support is adequate and payment is enforceable. The attorney may add value to the process that helps to assure that every child receives fair financial support from both parents.
Source: Opposing Views, “Fathers Face Charges For Avoiding Child Support, Bragging About Money On Facebook “, Sarah Fruchtnicht, July 17, 2014
