Question:

I pay child support for a child I had with a woman I briefly dated.

When a paternity test revealed I was the father I stepped up and took on the responsibilities as a dad.

With it came an order for child support that takes away almost half of my monthly income, which already was small to begin with.

If I were to take this back to court for a child support modification, would there be a good chance that my payments would be reduced?

Answer:

I am unable to give you legal advice on divorce. I can only give general divorce help for men, though, my knowledge is based on Missouri paternity laws where I am temporarily permitted to practice. Please be advised that I am not certain as to the underlying facts in your case, but can only speculate based upon the information that you have provided to me.

In your case, it is unclear as to whether an administrative order was filed for child support or whether a petition for child support was filed with the family law division in your specific county.

Presuming your child support was awarded through a paternity action in the family law division, then you would have to bring a motion to modify the amount, which can be done if you can show that there are a new set of circumstances that are so substantial and continuing that they render the current award unreasonable or that the numbers in the child support guidelines have changed to cause a 20% reduction in the original award.

How Much Should You Be Paying? Child Support Calculators

At this juncture there is no way to predict whether you would be granted a modification, as I would have to see the original calculations presented to the court as well as additional relevant information in order to determine whether a court would even entertain a modification in your case.

Remember, I am unable to provide you with anything more than divorce tips for men. Consult with a local divorce lawyer for specific legal advice on divorce and child support laws.

To arrange an initial consultation to discuss divorce rights for men with a Cordell & Cordell attorney, including Jennifer de Lyon Stralka, a St. Louis divorce lawyer, contact Cordell & Cordell Law Firm.