Child Support Arrears Only Case

by Kimberly
(Lansing, Kansas )

I have a son that is 18 and his actual support ends on June 30th 2010. His father owes me about $13000.00 in arrears. I live in Kansas and he lives in Missouri, so I have been told by the state of Kansas that Missouri holds all the cards as far as making him pay. The state of Missouri did file contempt charges on him. He showed up to one court date, had it postponed, and never showed up for the second court date, and there is a warrant for his arrest. He did start a job late last year and the support started coming in Feb. 2010. He paid until the end of May, quit that job and started working somewhere else. His new job is paying him #20.00 an hour 35-40 hours a week versus I make $13.94 an hour 30 hours a week.

The job he quit was not working him full time and he was not making full support payments. Right now he is supposed to pay $93.47 for current each week plus $46.85 for arrears. I have called child support and given them his current employment information. They told me his social was pinged on May 20th in the new hire database.

So I am now waiting for his employer to receive whatever documentation they need to garnish his check. I have been told by the state of Kansas that could take approx. 8 weeks. Here's the problem, by the time they actually notify the employer, my case will be considered an arrears only case, which means the amounts are going to be different as far as how much they can take weekly. I have ask Kansas for some information on an arrears only case and no one will help me, and Missouri won't even talk to me about the case, they say I have to call Kansas.

Is there any kind of time frame that arrears has to be paid off or could this be drug out for years?? Do the same laws apply for arrears only cases?? Can he still be charged for contempt if he does not pay the arrears amount?? I think that is why he is trying to make some payments for fear they will throw him in jail. He has had his house foreclosed, has no vehicle and lives with his mother, so his monthly expenses are far less than mine. Is any of this taken into consideration when figuring out weekly amounts??

I would be grateful for any information you can provide. Thank you, Kimberly