Child support enforcement with poll Added an Edit!

[butterflies798]

So I have this "friend" on facebook. I used to work with her years ago and haven't seen her in 6 plus years. Her husband just got sent to jail for 6 months due to not paying child support. She commented about how it was not fair that he is being taken from his family and how is he supposed to pay it if he is in jail, blah blah blah! I have seen this on here before too. I am on the other side of this where I am the custodial parent and my 2 dd's bio-dad likes to pretend they don't exist. He hasn't paid anything in well over 1 1/2 years and nothing is happening as far as I know. So my question is....

Should they end up in jail? If not how do you think it should be enforced?

ETA: I wanted to add this because someone came up with this idea and honestly I do not know why it would not be an option in child support issues. House arrest and limited license....meaning they can only leave the house and drive for work. Then the ncp does not lose their jobs, do not lose contact with their children(if they have it). I really like this idea and would much rather my ex do this than be put in jail where he would have no option of paying it. Now if only the lawmakers would read cafemom! ;)

[butterflies798]

But don't the courts figure it out by how much they make? Many would argue, if they can't afford it they shouldn't have been in the situation to have kids.

Quoting art.diva:

If a man can't afford it, he can't afford it. And by that I mean if the CS costs more than he earns, then its not his fault.

[ashleyrenee24]

I think it should be case by case.

[Fields456]

That is crazy. If the have a court order custody agreement he could have her held in contempt if she isn't following it

Quoting nerdymom28:

 I voted for the case by case situation. I have a friend who desperately wants to see his daughter, but her mother refuses to let him. She still expects him to pay child support, though. He can't even stay out of jail long enough to get a good job so he CAN pay. He's out for a couple months, then she is right on his ass about it and gets him sent to jail again. He can never get on top if she doesn't cut him a break. And all that when she won't even let him see his kid...it's a shame. His child's mother is being ridiculous.

[tttsmommy]

my x refuses to pay his cs. he moves and quits his jobs as soon as che finds him

[butterflies798]

$50,000? did I read that right? WTH would the court allow it to get that far? That is crazy!

Quoting lil_Army_Wife05:

I believe they should go to jail...However, my sons BIO father owes 50K in back child support and I haven't gotten much child support in 12 years...Yeah I would LOVEEEEEEEE to see my ex go to jail!

[aktotx]

I think if the other parent is doing side jobs that are being paid under the table so they don't have to pay child support then yes haul them off.   My exhusband is one of those he decided he didn't want to be a father anymore and walked out of the kids lives and did everything he can to not pay.  As of now he owes over $43,000 and will just keep growing and I will never see a dime of it.

[nerdymom28]

 As far as I know, she has sole custody. She never officially filed, since he's in jail so much he isn't able to put up a fight. Every time he gets out of jail he has nothing - no place to go, no belongings, nothing. He has to start over from scratch every time...and a couple of months is not enough time to get on your feet, especially with the extremely high unemployment in his state. And that's all he gets before she gets him sent back to jail. There isn't really much he can do and it sucks.

Quoting Fields456:

That is crazy. If the have a court order custody agreement he could have her held in contempt if she isn't following it

Quoting nerdymom28:

 I voted for the case by case situation. I have a friend who desperately wants to see his daughter, but her mother refuses to let him. She still expects him to pay child support, though. He can't even stay out of jail long enough to get a good job so he CAN pay. He's out for a couple months, then she is right on his ass about it and gets him sent to jail again. He can never get on top if she doesn't cut him a break. And all that when she won't even let him see his kid...it's a shame. His child's mother is being ridiculous.

 

[butterflies798]

My ex quits his job as soon as enforcement catches up to him. Why should he be allowed to do that?

Quoting tttsmommy:

my x refuses to pay his cs. he moves and quits his jobs as soon as che finds him

[hautemama83]

Those cases are few and far between. They're not the majority.

Do cp's go to jail if they don't support their children?

Quoting butterflies798:

So the the noncustodial parent can jump from job to job or get a job paying "under the table"? Never paying to help support their child that they created?

Quoting hautemama83:

No. I don't think enforcement should go farther than wage garnishment.

[art.diva]

If a guy loses his job and has to sleep on a friend's couch because he is flat broke, he shouldn't have to go to jail for not paying what he doesn't have.

Quoting butterflies798:

But don't the courts figure it out by how much they make? Many would argue, if they can't afford it they shouldn't have been in the situation to have kids.

Quoting art.diva:

If a man can't afford it, he can't afford it. And by that I mean if the CS costs more than he earns, then its not his fault.