digalitldper.
Your posting about your love for your children and the heartache you feel is all too familiar. My husband constantly feels the same. He hates not having his children with him all the time and feeling like he is missing out on precious moments. We are trying our best to keep disagreements with the ex at a minimum for the children's sake. They are innocent and should feel no blame for the divorce. Sadly, they do see that mom and dad don't get along. Things would be so much easier if the ex would accept the fact that he has moved on and has become successful do to his own hard work and determination. Somehow she feels that she is "entitled" to his financial success by saying "it's for the kids" when she has done nothing herself to provide for them except to remarry. My husband's ex has blatantly admitted to my husband that she takes great joy in initiating reviews of his income every 3 years. How is it fair that a man has to provide for two households while the woman can sit and do nothing if that's what she chooses. Women receiving child support are getting tax free money without having to show any accountability for how they spend it. Child supports laws in Texas need to be changed. digalitldper, keep your head high. You are giving fathers a good name and I am glad to see fathers like you out there.

Agreed about the AG's office, they want to get so involved and take the money so fast even when you got good fathers that pay like they are supposed to since day 1, pick up the kids every day they are off, provide medical insurance, involved in their education, etc, etc... and the custodial parent, The MOTHER, isn't worth a crap, and spends the child support on herself, her lifestyle, vacations, and clothes. These mother's forget how good they actually have it and should learn to appreciate it, especially when you see fathers out there that are worthless. They could have it a whole lot worse, APPRECIATE it MOTHERS.

Dig, it is heartening to hear a father express his love for his child, and I am touched that you were able to cut right to the heart of the matter - You divorced your spouse, not your children! And you are right, there are MANY, MANY women who are spiteful and vindictive who use the children as leverage, or a weapon. (I've seen men do it as well, in the rare circumstances that he get custody.) It's also very obvious that you are a dad in every sense of the word - yes, it is unfair that you have to pay child support even during the extended periods that the child is with you, but you go that extra mile to be with your child (or children)and don't count the cost in front of them. Sounds like you are the better parent here --

Years ago, I was married to a man who had 2 children from a prior marriage. She hated the fact that he had moved on, even though she had remarried years before. She used those kids as leverage to make him beg to see them, even though he had court-ordered visitation. He, on the other hand, was continually calling CPS stating that the children were being abused and/or sexually molested by the step-dad. After less than a year, I'd had enough of their games and left. Those children are adults now and absolutely hate both of their parents and are in therapy.

As to the original topic of this thread; It is very sad that a woman has lost her mother to such senseless violence, and children were physically and emotionally injured. Was this about Child Support? It's possible. More than likely though, that was probably only one small contributing factor. Considering this man had a history of criminal activity and drug use.

It is sadly interesting that one womans death and two others tragic injuries would intiate a conversation about child support.

digalitldper.

I have to come to your defense on the child support and sharing of child custody issue. My husband is also a responsible father who pays his child support on time and also keeps his kids as ordered by the divorce decree. For awhile my husband and his ex-wife were flexible with visitation. Meaning they weren't going exactly as the court papers cited. We started to see a trend that she was sending the kids to us when she had "plans" to go out. We both work full time and she doesn't. Not that we didn't want the kids but we would always have to find a sitter at our expense. We finally put a stop to that and are going "strictly" by the divorce decree. That way there is no confusion as to when we have the kids and we can plan ahead for a sitter if needed. Recently, she tried to lay an extra weekend of us having the kids, when we pointed it out to her that it really wasn't our weekend according to the decree she blew a gasket. Apparently, having the kids wasn't working with her social plans. But yet we are the bad guys! I could go on and on about this. There are good fathers out there who don't get the credit they deserve!

I think you are right legion! I think that they do hold back payments in order to collect the interest. Consider the amount being sent through the AG's office on a daily basis... literally thousands every day.... Why do they hold the funds back? Why aren't they processed and mailed out to the receipient that day? Why aren't the payments paid thru the District clerk's office in the county where the divorce was final, like they used to be?

I'm getting a migrane, so that's enough fore me on that subject.

Darlins,

If I remember right the child support enforcement arm of the state attorney generals office's budget for a upcoming year is based on the amount of revenue they collect the year before.

Kinda like a pay for performance thing, you would think.
IMO all they care about is increasing there budget.If they cared about the person owed, they why does it take 3 weeks for a payment to clear there office? Could it be,3 weeks interest the money earns the state?

I agree that the Attorney General is too involved in private issues. Many times, a couple with child divorcing, can come to a mutal understanding and agreement in regards to possession of the child and child support. Unfortunately, these days the AG gets immediately involved and it is difficult to get them "off the case".

I've been divorced from my ex for 16 years. He was initially ordered to pay $171.00 a month for 1 child. the AG got involved. They wanted to increase his child support, but I declined at that time. that went ok for a few years. Suddenly, the child was 16 and the AG wanted to raise the support again. The ex was gripping about it so I offered him a deal: Pay ONLY her insurance preiumns and 100% of the out of pocket expenses and I'd sign a form with the AG that I no longer wanted their services.... He refused. When we met with the AG in Sept. 2007, the ex was acting like a petculant child. I told the AG rep that I felt like raising the support wasn't necessary and I didn't want to deal with the ex's hissy fit over it, they raised it anyway --- they DOUBLED IT! It caused a huge problem for me in that I'd always tried to get along with the ex and his wife, simply for the fact that it was in my daughter's best interest. Now he was pi$$ed at me and she got to hear about it. Next month, she turns 18 and is already out of school. He will no longer be obligated to pay child support.

It really aggrevates me that the AG did this.... he had been paying faithfully for years without getting behind. My daughter wasn't doing without anything, so there was no reason to increase it.

Child support shouldn't be a financial punishment for the absent parent.

Crazy is right. My ex owes me 16,000 in back child support for 3 children. He is a contractor and hides most of his income all the while whining and crying about how his child support is too high. Forget that daycare for all three is more than his monthly support payments. I am surprised you dont hear of more single mothers murdering these dead beat dads. It takes forever to get them into court and enforcement is a joke. What is wrong with these men that they think they have it so bad that they have to further destroy their childrens lives by taking away the one person who even cares what happens to them? I hope this guy gets lethal injection.

With an alias like "Crazy" I don't think it would've had to be too much. You don't get a nickname like that for nothing!

I feel terrible for the children, knowing their dad killed their grandma & tried to kill their mom & older sister. Those are scars that don't ever heal.

Dig - 1 child under state guidelines = 20% of disposible income plus pay for health insurance.... depending on what he makes, or what type of job he has.... $200 a month and up.

I pray for the complete recovery of the lady and her daughter....

yoak all you have to do is edit your comment :)

Below where it says I don't feel it should say I do feel. Thank you!

This was an awful event. He will have his judgent day, but it worries me that a man can kill one person and injures two others including a juvenile can be eligible for bail. Although it may seem like a large amount, a person only has to pay 10 percent. Moreover he has had additional convictions in his past. Also, the article begins discussing the upcoming child support case, I don't feel the paper should have investigated further instead of allowing the public to believe he did this because of a child support case. The begginig of this article takes away from the crime that he committed.

I think thats a little more than just a squabble.