Questions about Child Support Laws in Ohio

by Rachael
(Ironton, Ohio, United States of America)

I am a mother of 2 wonderful girls. My oldest daughter is 15 and her father (or sperm donor as I like to think of him) does not pay his child support. Which has been ordered since she was less than a year old. He is $15,000+ behind in arrears. Which I know isn't much for as many years as he hasn't paid, but his earnings have never been high, and she is the oldest of his 6 children.

Whom he has conceived with a total of five women. As far as I know he lives with his youngest mother. I know that he has at least one other child support order against him, which I'm sure is in arrears too.

I am having trouble finding out the laws concerning arrears and past due support for the state of Ohio. I have taken action on my case by contacting CSEA to have action taken. Otherwise they don't automatically do anything for non-payment or arrears. So far we have been to court twice.

The most they have done is suspend his driver's license, which he only had to pay one week's payment and they reissued them! And this last time a postponed 30day jail sentence until our next court date. At that time if he hasn't made regular payments he MAY have the 30 days enforced. The process is so long trying to get anything done.

My court dates have been around a year apart! It seems like he gets a slap on the wrist and all my calls and time spent was for nothing! It's very frustrating! I can understand why some people just give up! I have another court date this month on the 15th. I have a few questions. The first is I was told once my daughter is an adult that the CSEA can no longer criminally prosecute him, but he will always owe his arrears.

I guess meaning they can't put him in jail or suspend his driver's license but they can garnish any wages until the debt is paid. No matter how old she is or he is. But I was told by a friend that 15yrs. after my daughter turns 18 he can have the arrears dropped? Is this true? My next question is I hear of people getting arrears from their ex's tax refund. This has never been the case for me. I wonder if he even files.

So my question is, will he get in trouble with the government if he doesn't file his taxes? And is there a possibility that CSEA isn't holding his return for arrears like they should? My last question is, is there anything else I can do to take action on my child support and arrears owed? Can I sue him in civil court?