Copay question...

[dipper]

Soc,

Prior support order required me to pay 75% of copays.  Recent custody order stated that son was required to be in counseling, with each parent paying equal share of counseling costs.

When I went to the intake for child support, the intake officer told me that it is common now for the custodial parent to pay the first $250 of medical copays, and the rest be split according to CS guidelines.  She said that the counseling would NOT be included in this as it was part of a custody order, not the support order.

In court, judge said support order would include counseling.  In his amendment to the custody order, nothing was mentioned about counseling - including no mention of changing payments....

On a separate matter, son is required to complete 40 hours community service.  He is in school, has a 6:00 curfew, and is only home one weekend per month.  Sites to do service are limited around here. Probation officer has requested time be completed by mid December.

I requested that BM allow son to at least put in a few hours one day/weekend per month for community service during her visitation.  She essentially told me to shove it.  She said that none of her time is being used for this and that it is my total responsibility.  (his actions resulting in this were done while in her custody)

Soc, first, as the counseling copays are spelled out in the custody order, arent they still in effect until a formal change is made?


As for the community service, what takes priority.....a juvenile judge ordering community service or a juvenile judge ordering three weekends per month visitation?

[socrateaser]

>Soc, first, as the counseling copays are spelled out in the
>custody order, arent they still in effect until a formal
>change is made?

I can't tell. I'd need to read the text of all the relevant orders and know when they were issued and whether they are temporary or permanent orders.

Generally, there is no such thing as payment for the child that is not support, and it doesn't matter where it's located. But, that doesn't mean that this counseling is not a special case -- it appears to be one to me, at least on the surface.

>As for the community service, what takes priority.....a
>juvenile judge ordering community service or a juvenile judge
>ordering three weekends per month visitation?

Community service is a sentence, which if not served, will cause the child to spend time in a place where there will be no visitation except at the "facility." So, both parents should be doing whatever is required to get the service completed. My suggestion is that you require the boy to get as much done on your time as possible, and if there's any left over, and only the other parent's time that's left, then you just tell her tuff beans, because the kid's got to complete the sentence.

If it gets done before that happens, then so what? You have the kid, which is what you wanted. Don't try to create situations that may heat the coals of animosity any more than is necessary.