When a noncustodial parent is ordered by the court to pay child support, he or she is under a legal obligation to do so. While most noncustodial parents understand the importance of keeping up with their payments, others choose to not live up to their obligations. This shunning of responsibility can put a great deal of financial strain on a custodial parent’s household finances.
There are legal remedies that a custodial parent can seek to get the noncustodial to begin or resume making payments. However, this process can become complicated if the noncustodial parent’s whereabouts is unknown. In such a case, the custodial parent can contact the Office of the Attorney General, that can in turn attempt to locate the noncustodial parent.
But the Attorney General’s Office will need some information in order to pursue the matter on your behalf. This includes the following details pertaining to the noncustodial parent:
- His or her Current address.
- The name and address of his or her current or last known employer.
- Addresses and names of his or her friends and relatives.
- His or her date of birth and Social Security number.
- Locations where he or she may be found in their spare time.
- Names of his or her banks, utility companies or other creditors.
The more information you can provide the authorities, the more quickly your child’s other parent may be located. But the Texas child support system is a large bureaucracy and sometimes it can be beneficial to have the help and guidance of an attorney who understands its workings.
You and your child need and are entitled to the support that the other parent was ordered to pay. If he or she is refusing to make the payments in a timely manner, an attorney may be able to work at getting this unfair situation corrected.