NFL Quarterback, John Skelton, was allegedly behind $19,000 in child support according to Texas news sources. This child support matter has apparently been going on for than two years, but it now appears that the mother of the child has been paid in full.
The child was born in 2006. It was apparently agreed between the mother and father that he would not have to pay child support for the first three years of the girl’s life. However, the NFL player later claimed he was not the father of the child, but a paternity test seems to have established parentage.
Child support agreements in Texas were meant to reflect what would be in the best interest of the child. The health, education and enjoyment of the child should trump most other considerations. Unfortunately, not every parent will voluntarily honor the court-ordered obligations.
An experienced family law attorney can help parents owed back child support. It is not fair that one parent be asked to raise the child and also exclusively support that child financially. Attorneys can put together stipulations that both parties can comply with, and under certain circumstances steps can be taken to insure that child support obligations are honored.
Sadly, parents are sending a message to their children when they do nothing to support their offspring. That message is that the child’s needs are unimportant to the parent. What is asked in child support is often only a small amount as to what the parent could usually afford.
Source: KYPost.com, “Court documents: Cincinnati Bengals quarterback John Skelton owed $19K in child support,” May 30, 2013
