Illinois Child Support Judgments are Forever

In Illinois, judgments for child support do not expire.  A case known as In Re Saputo illustrated Illinois family law on this issue.  In that case, an ex-wife was owed a huge amount of unpaid child support and the accrued interest over a decades-long period because her ex-husband failed to pay.  Despite the fact that the last payment was due over 20 years before the attempt to collect, the child support was still due, along with all of the accrued interest (EACH child support payment is an independent judgment and accrues interest at 9% per year). 

Again - if you owe child support pursuant to a judgment, pay the support.  The judgment will not go away.  If you lose your job, make less money, or are disabled, it is your responsibility to seek a reduction in child support from the Court.  An agreement without a court order, even a written agreement, is null and void.

If you are owed a substantial amount of child support from a judgment, please call us.  You can click the "Call us" black bar below the skyline graphic near the top of any page, or call our firm at 630.665.7676 directly to schedule a consultation.

New Illinois Child Support Collection Case - Employer Whacked for Non-Payment of Support!

A recent case from the Illinois Appellate Court, Second District (covering DuPage County, among others), upheld a trial court penalty of $369,000 against an employer for failure to obey a child support withholding order.  The trial court hit the employer, Knobias, Inc. with the $100 per day statutory penalty for failing to withhold the full amount of support set forth in the withholding order. 

Employers - if you receive a withholding order, by all means OBEY it!

Support payors (people obligated to pay child support).  Please be sure that you make support payments until support is withheld from your paycheck.  The obligation to pay child support is yours and failing to pay support has expensive consequences.  You can lose your driver's license, end up in jail, and incur huge financial penalties.

Child support payees (people due child support)...be sure to monitor the support order.  Make sure you are being paid in a timely manner by the payor directly until the withholding order takes effect.  If you know a withholding order was entered and sent to the payor's employer, check with the Illinois State Disbursement Unit to verify that the money is being sent to SDU.  If more than a few weeks pass, take action.  It can take several weeks for money to begin flowing from SDU even though it is being withheld.

If you are an employer dealing with an DuPage County child support problem, or a person having trouble paying or receiving child support, please call Sullivan Taylor & Gumina, P.C. directly at 630.665.7676.  We are here to help.

DuPage Divorce Lawyer Raiford Palmer Named to ISBA Family Law Section

We are pleased to announce that President-Elect Jack Carey of the Illinois State Bar Association reappointed family law and divorce attorney Raiford Palmer to the ISBA Family Law Section Council for the 2008-2009 year. The Section Council, comprised of approximately 55 family law lawyers and judges from across the State of Illinois, has an important role in shaping Illinois divorce and family law legislation and in educating Illinois lawyers and judges about family law issues via the Section Council Newsletter. The Council meets monthly to discuss key issues of importance to divorce and family law attorneys and judges. Raif is delighted to serve the ISBA again this coming year.