Dear Socrateaser,
My 17-year-old stepson moved about a year and a half ago to Germany with his mother and stepfather, who is in the Army. My husband gave his consent because my stepson wanted to go and was 15 years of age at the time. Since my stepson has been there, he has failed multiple grades of high school (not to mention shoplifted once). Currently he should be a senior, but is still a sophomore taking freshman-level classes. His mother's last e-mail about it to my husband said that he will be in high school another two to three years because he only has approx. half of the credits he needs to graduate. There is no indication that he is going to turn it around this year, either. The support order is through Pennsylvania. Stepson has ADHD and has refused to take his ADHD medication for about the last two years. However, he does take an antidepressant since his shoplifting incident. Biomom said the doctor said antidepressants help older kids with ADHD who are not taking ADHD medication. He does not have any learning disabilities. We have e-mails from various times during the last few years from biomom stating his current progress (or lack thereof) in school, and complaining that he is not applying himself and she doesn't know what to do with him.
My questions are as follows:
1. Although PA child support is paid until the child is age 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs later, what is the liklihood that my husband can get support to end at age 18 (April 2007) given the circumstances? Is there some sort of limit in these circumstances?
2. Husband plans to call Domestic Relations (usually not very helpful). If you think there is a chance to end it at age 18, do you think the burden of proof would be on my husband or the biomom to show stepson's current progress or lack thereof? My husband is not currently in contact with the school (on a military base).
3. If you think the burden of proof will be on my husband, what sort of documentation do you think he should obtain? Will the e-mails from biomom be any help?
Thank you, in advance, for your time and for any information.
BoysMom
My 17-year-old stepson moved about a year and a half ago to Germany with his mother and stepfather, who is in the Army. My husband gave his consent because my stepson wanted to go and was 15 years of age at the time. Since my stepson has been there, he has failed multiple grades of high school (not to mention shoplifted once). Currently he should be a senior, but is still a sophomore taking freshman-level classes. His mother's last e-mail about it to my husband said that he will be in high school another two to three years because he only has approx. half of the credits he needs to graduate. There is no indication that he is going to turn it around this year, either. The support order is through Pennsylvania. Stepson has ADHD and has refused to take his ADHD medication for about the last two years. However, he does take an antidepressant since his shoplifting incident. Biomom said the doctor said antidepressants help older kids with ADHD who are not taking ADHD medication. He does not have any learning disabilities. We have e-mails from various times during the last few years from biomom stating his current progress (or lack thereof) in school, and complaining that he is not applying himself and she doesn't know what to do with him.
My questions are as follows:
1. Although PA child support is paid until the child is age 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs later, what is the liklihood that my husband can get support to end at age 18 (April 2007) given the circumstances? Is there some sort of limit in these circumstances?
2. Husband plans to call Domestic Relations (usually not very helpful). If you think there is a chance to end it at age 18, do you think the burden of proof would be on my husband or the biomom to show stepson's current progress or lack thereof? My husband is not currently in contact with the school (on a military base).
3. If you think the burden of proof will be on my husband, what sort of documentation do you think he should obtain? Will the e-mails from biomom be any help?
Thank you, in advance, for your time and for any information.
BoysMom