Hey Jurist Nest, I need advice. I’m the non-custodial parent of a child with a New Jersey custody agreement. Dad, who has primary custody, left our child with Grandma in Texas for over a year and had her sign a notarized letter taking responsibility.
Now, Grandma wants child support from me because Dad isn’t helping. Our NJ order says I don’t pay support, but I support my child informally.
Can Grandma take me to court for support, especially since Dad’s been in jail for two months?
Consult a family law attorney in New Jersey for precise legal advice. Grandma may pursue support, but your NJ custody order stating otherwise is crucial. Discuss potential custody modification options given recent circumstances with the attorney to protect your child’s best interests effectively.
If a court order requires you to pay support, you must do so. If there’s no order to pay Dad, you don’t need to pay him. Even if you were supposed to pay Dad, there’s no evidence you agreed to pay Grandma instead. Grandma can ask for money, but she needs to go to court to get it. Any payments would start from when a court motion is filed. Texas might take over your custody case if it’s more convenient than New Jersey. Since Dad is in jail, it’s a good time to change the custody arrangement. Get his criminal records and work with a local family law attorney. After the custody changes, the court might review and adjust support payments.