Custody and child support

[don24]

Don Culp


I have been seperated from my daughters mom for abour two years and have been to court twice regarding custody for my daughter and for child support.  I pay 479.00 a month plus and additional 15.00 life insurance policy with my daughter named as benficiary of course.  So ina all I pay 504.00 a month.  My problem is this I pay enough already for child support and she is trying to take me back for more also I see my daughter all of 8 times a month and  we supposedly have joint custody and she has promary say.  Iwould like to have more visitation with my daughter along with less child suppport and I can barely afford to live with my expenses.  My lawyer seems to keep jerking me around and everything my daughters mom wants it seems as though she gets and I am tired of fighting in court, I just want to be there for my daughter and get on with my life.  Please help if you can????????    

[NeverGiveUp]

The court doesn't give a rats a** where you live and what you eat.  Nor do they care whether you ever get to see your kids.  The court doesn't care if you're the better parent. The court doesn't care if your children are being poisoned against you . . . . the court doesn't care until you stop paying, and paying, and paying.  Then they'll care plenty.

Write your officials.  Did you send a letter to your state congressmen / senators?  Did you send letters to the mayor, local paper, your friends, . . .  if not, stop complaining.  Because it's the ONLY way anything will ever change and if you haven't done it you don't even have the right to complain.

[jilly]

As I've seen it said on here many times...DOCUMENT DOCUMENT DOCUMENT
Keep track of the dates/times you see your daughter and the dates/times your ex-wife refuses to let you see your daughter. There is time tracker software you can use. I think it's called OPTIMAL and I believe you have to pay for it. My husband doesn't need this (yet!) so I'm not sure about that.
It's not clear from your post if you have a parenting agreement or court ordered visitation with your daughter for specific days/holidays. If you do have such an order filed with the court and your ex-wife is not following the order you can file contempt charges against her. YOU are the one that needs to take the initiative to have more visitation with your daughter because your ex-wife sure ain't gonna do it.
If you feel like your attorney is not doing his job properly then fire him and find one that will do what you tell him to do and not just go with the flow.
I'm not sure why your ex-wife is trying to get the child support increased. Is she saying there's a change in circumstances?
Wihtout a little more information it's hard to really help you.
Good luck!

Jilly

[Tennessee Dad]

OPTIMAL looks like a very good time tracking program (cost around $150), but SPARC also has a time tracker program that is FREE!  It is based on an Excel spreadsheet, and is very easy to use.  Just check this site listings, download on Excel97 or greater, and go!  

We have used it since August, 2003, so we now have almost a year of detailed records for our case (court date July 30th).  

Good luck to you!

[Bolivar OH]

I not sure exactly what your question is.  However, sounds like your goal is is to have 50/50 physical and legal custody.

Look under "Visitation issues" with a topic --    Subject: "non custodial wants summer visitation"  --- Peanutsdad does a great job of outlining a plain of action.

This site has a lot of information to get started with.  Search in the "Articles Archive".  Make sure you visit and read the different dads sites everyday.