In Washington and elsewhere throughout the nation, judges typically have a certain amount of discretion available to make decisions regarding the future care and upbringing of children after divorce. Most states have guidelines that govern such issues, and the court will take certain factors into consideration before issuing orders for child support or making custody or visitation decisions. A non-custodial parent may face various obstacles if summoned to court regarding a request for child support.
In such situations, it is typically beneficial to seek guidance from an experienced family law attorney. A legal advocate can make certain that the court takes a non-custodial parent’s wishes into consideration before handing down any decisions regarding child support payments. If a parent is not present in the courtroom and has not retained legal representation to attend a hearing on his or her behalf, the court can still make decisions without that parent’s input.
Therefore, it is generally beneficial to retain legal assistance in order to gain a clear understanding of state guidelines before attending a child support hearing. Child support is not always limited to basic living expenses, such as food, clothing and shelter. It is important for a non-custodial parent to know what to expect before addressing such matters in court.
A non-custodial parent’s net income is typically one of the main factors taken into consideration before a Washington court makes a child support decision. If a parent is already providing financial support to children in another household, it may have bearing on the amount of child support the court will order as payment. An experienced family law attorney would be able to offer guidance regarding how best to handle such situations in order to obtain a fair decision.
Source: texasattorneygeneral.gov, “Handbook for Non-Custodial Parents“, Ken Paxton, Accessed on April 6, 2016
