As many Mississippi residents are no doubt well aware, a non-custodial parent's failure to pay child support may well have serious ramifications. These ramifications include, but are not limited to, possible jail time and/or a substantial fine. It is thus typically in the best interest of the non-custodial parent, and his or her children, to pay their court-ordered child support on time, every time.
A Biloxi man recently learned this firsthand after receiving a 3 1/2-year suspended sentence due to his failure to pay child support. The 50-year-old man pleaded guilty to the charges against him in front of a Mississippi Circuit Court on Feb. 6. As part of his sentence, he must immediately pay $2,020 to the custodial parent. In total, he owes $15,000 in unpaid child support, and he will now need to pay an additional $300 per month until he has covered his debt.
In this case, the man has several prior convictions against him for unrelated matters. That may have something to do with his back-due child support as people with a prior criminal record typically have difficulty securing employment, leading to financial troubles. Nonetheless, any non-custodial parent facing financial hardship may benefit by asking the court to modify the required payments rather than simply failing to pay.
Child support payments are for the benefit of the child or children. Failing to make these payments could well jeopardize the child's best interests, which is why the state will sometimes aggressively pursue non-paying parents. Moreover, custodial parents certainly have every right to enforce the required payments, and they can use all available resources provided by the state to do so.
Source: Sun Herald, "Crime news for Tuesday, Feb. 7; Deadbeat dad enters guilty plea," Margaret Baker, Feb. 6, 2012
