The needs of children in Virginia don’t change just because their parents aren’t in a relationship with one another. When that happens, often one parent will make child support payments to the parent with primary custody. These payments are meant to help care for the children and if they are not made, it can detrimentally affect the entire family. One county decided to combat this problem by offering a day of amnesty for those behind on their child support.
The county announced that those with a bench warrant for unpaid child support could go to a local community center on a certain day for amnesty. This means that if they went to that location and made a payment, the warrant would be dismissed. They wouldn’t be arrested nor would they be questioned about why the payments were late.
County officials decided to try this method because they had around 1,800 outstanding bench warrants related to unpaid child support. The amnesty day worked, with organizers reporting sizable attendance. The event was so successful that county officials decided to have another one in the very near future.
Sometimes, parents trying to make child support payments fall behind for justifiable reasons, such as a job loss or health problems. There are also instances where the reasons for nonpayment are indefensible. No matter what the cause, children should not have to do without proper care. Those parents here in Virginia who wish to create or modify an existing child support agreement may want to involve a family law attorney. It may be the best way to ensure that children have their needs met.
