Law enforcement in Harrison County, working in conjunction with the Texas Attorney General’s Office, arrested 11 people for non-payment of child support. The sweep was part of an attempt to target parents who were in contempt of court for failure to make these payments. Child Support Division investigators also provided help in locating some of the parents.
There were 19 total warrants for parents in Harrison County. The agencies are still trying to locate the eight people who were not arrested in the initial sweep. The attorney general’s office collected $3.4 billion in child support in 2011, $10.7 million of which came from Harrison County.
When a parent is ordered to pay child support by a judge, the order becomes a standing court order and can be enforced by law enforcement officials. This is true whether the order is made by the judge directly or incorporated as part of an agreement reached by partners or spouses in the course of divorce proceedings. When a parent agrees to settle a divorce case that includes child support, that agreement becomes part of the judge’s order and is enforceable by the court.
Parents who are divorcing, or those who must seek child support, may find help by consulting a divorce attorney. A divorce lawyer can assist parents in reaching an equitable agreement covering division of assets, child support and child custody arrangements. If a parent is unmarried, an attorney can assist the parent in requesting child support due from the biological father or mother of the child as well.
Source: Longview News-Journal, “11 in Harrison arrested for failure to pay child support,” Robin Y. Richardson, Nov. 2, 2012