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Disputes regarding child support obligations are serious for all parties involved and should not be handled lightly. One on the side, a parent is claiming funds to pay for a child’s living expenses. On the other side, a parent may dispute that any child support is owed or maybe having difficulty making child support payments. Both sides must protect their rights to ensure that child support issues are handled appropriately. Sometimes, however, child support disputes can escalate beyond one’s control. This is what recently happened to several mothers seeking child support from the father.
Father Accused of Owing $368,000 in Child Support Payments
For the past four years, Huron County Sheriff’s deputies and Sandusky police have been searching for a notorious deadbeat dad. The search recently came to an end when authorities took 50-year-old Terrance Valliant into custody. Police captured the man after they had been staking out a female friend of Valliant and pulled Valliant over during a traffic stop.
According to authorities, Valliant owes a significant amount of back child support. In fact, he is accused of owing about $368,000 dollars to different mothers living in Ohio. Authorities say that Valliant has 24 child support cases pending in Ohio and 18 in Huron County alone. Chief Deputy Ted Patrick said that this type of case is “unheard of in our country.”
In connection with the child support proceedings against Valliant, 13 contempt of court warrants had been issued against the father for failing to show up to court or failing to make required child support payments. As a result, Valliant is being held in jail for 390 days, 30 days for each of the 13 contempt orders.
Child Support Requirements Under Ohio Law
Under Ohio law, child support obligations are calculated using a predetermined child support formula to obtain the yearly child support obligation of each parent. The formula is based on each parent’s gross income, taking into consideration certain deductions. The required child support obligation increases based on the parent’s gross income and the number of children.
If a parent repeatedly fails to make child support payments, a parent can initiate a legal proceeding to hold the noncomplying parent in contempt. The general standard for a contempt sentence is 30 days, but jail time may be avoided if a substantial payment is made. In extreme cases, a parent can be found guilty of criminal non-support, which can result in significant jail time.
Contact a Cleveland Child Support Attorney
If you have questions about Ohio’s laws on child support obligations, an experienced Ohio child support attorney can answer your questions. Laubacher & Co. employs a team of experienced Cleveland attorneys who are knowledgeable in all aspects of family law, including divorce, child support issues, and child custody disputes. Our attorneys work hard to make sure our clients’ rights are protected with respect to child support obligations.
Contact one of Laubacher & Co.’s Cleveland child support attorneys today for a free consultation. Call us now (440) 336-8687 or visit our office at 20525 Center Ridge Road, Suite 626, in Rocky River.