Remaining Child Support Balance

by Scott Stewart
(Tampa, FL USA)

My ex-wife & i divorced here in Florida and I paid a fair monthly amount in child support. The support would end when our daughter turned 18 & graduated H.S., both to happen at the end of May 2004. The total months to be paid were to be 55.5 months.

The problems I'm having now started when I found out my ex kicked our daughter out of their home in 12/2001 or 1/2002. Our daughter, which my ex had sole custody of, was sharing a bed with an 18 year old boy under his parents roof. I refused to pay her since she stopped supporting our daughter. However, I could never prove this until 2 months ago. The boyfriends parents wouldn't help me until they were sure their Son would not be prosecuted.

Our divorce decree includes reasons for support ceasing early as death OR our daughter becomes self-supportive. She lived with her boyfriend, worked 25-30 hours a week all the while finishing school. My ex did not help her with any basics or necessities of life. The boyfriends parents fed her, clothed her, and made her finish school.

Now I stopped paying when she kicked our daughter out. The arrears on file is for the 29-30 months she did not live with my ex/her mother. She refused to budge in mediation. To me the money is more like alimony! Since she won't mediate & still demands all the money, what do I have to do now?

Thank you, Scott