unintersted Father

[formykids95]

I live in Florida. A few months ago I filed for an increase in child support (I have not had in over 8 years. He told me if I increased it he would quit his job and work under the table. So I was scared). I have had to pay for expenses myself medical, dental (they are on my insurance) you name it I paid it. Unless I got the the nerve to ask the father and I would always get grief for asking. He was not active in my childrens lives at all until a week after he got the shild support modification papers in the mail. Never a doctor's or dentist appointment, one school function in 5 years of school, no parent/teacher confrences and no IEP meetings (one of my children has a slight learning disability) I have asked but he always has an excuse. He even forgot my eldest birthday. Now I get papers he was equal overnights. Equal everything (this is after they tell him he should be paying more child support. He does not want to pay child support at all and will do what it takes to get out of it. I). They have no relationship with him. His own family can attest to that fact. I don't want to keep them from him they need to have him in their lives. However, I think joint custody after treating them the way he treated them would be just wrong. My children have to watch him treat the "new" children "diffrent" if you know what I mean the story Cinderalla comes to mind as the best way to decribe it. I don't know what I am suppose to do. I don't know if I need a lawyer. Everyone says do it myself and save the money I don't have but I don't want to end up signing something I don't fully understand.

[Attorney Howard Iken]

I assumed he filed a counterclaim when you filed a modification for child support?

Based on what you described I doubt he will be successful with any dramatic modification of parenting time. But he always has the right to be involved in the lives of his children. That is something the the courts will encourage - no matter what.

I am not sure what you mean by "joint custody." But if he is seeking equal overnights with the children, you should not worry about that happening.


Attorney Howard Iken


Divorce Attorneys in Clearwater

Divorce Attorneys in St. Petersburg

[formykids95]

I have another question in the documents I recieved he is requesting that I pay of his attorney fees and legal cost?! He has made and continues to make twice as much as I make a year. Is it normal and I will end up paying for his legal fees?
This is killing my kids they don't understand why they have to go to his house now instead of their grandmother's (his mother) house since he does not even talk to them. He lived with he mother for several years but did not take care of them. (His mother has said "I feel like they are my children and not his" several times to me) She or her roomate picked them up from school every other weekend. She feed them, did homework with them, made sure they got baths, etc. If she went out of town did not go over there they were with me so who does that tell you they were seeing. He took no parental responsiblilty for them. Now on paper it looks like he was a dad who took care of them everyother weekend when it is not true he just happened to be there. I want them to see there father but I don't want them to have to suffer.

[Attorney Howard Iken]

Payment of attorney fees is usually based on the following factors:

Whether either party insisted on a frivolous position

Relative income of the parties.


Based on income, you have little to worry about.

Attorney Howard Iken


Divorce Attorneys in Dade City

Divorce Attorneys in Brooksville