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Question: When the law attempts to arrest someone for not paying child support, and this person runs from the law what would the punishment be for this crime?

Answer: Usually for simple non payment of child support, a person will not be arrested. He will have his or her wages garnished if he or she is working. He will have any income tax return intercepted and sent to pay child support. He can have his drivers' license suspended.

For a simple case of owing money, we do not generally put people in jail in this country. If a person is in prison or jail, he cannot earn money to pay the debt.

A parent has a duty to support his or her child. With some exceptions, a parent who knowingly fails to furnish reasonable support for the parent's child is guilty of a class 6 felony. (A.R.S. § 25-511)


Comments
21 thru 25 of 28 comments
On 11/22/03
DLeit from VA said:
I think its all CRAP....I have to pay support for my 10 yr old. Her mother is not on any state program and she makes more than i do. The system gives women to much power. I cant afford the amount that was decided for me to pay. Hell I dont even live in the same state. Myself and my wife our new child spend every chance we can get with my 10 yr old but its not a fair system to take from one family for another.
On 09/23/03
Christina from NC said:
Odviously you haven't sat on the receiving end of a deadbeat parent that decides they don't want to pay. My daughters father makes about $100k a year and decided he wasn't going to pay his child support. He law made it a crime not to pay child support when your able - THEY DO BELONG IN JAIL!! Maybe you need to take a tour of a nursery of a child that doesn't have the things they need because of lack of money while her " "dad" is driving around a new car..
On 06/25/03
suz from AZ said:
Why doesn't the law punish mothers that lie to their boyfriend and the state in order to get assistance? I think the law on child support gives incentives to certain mother not to have goals and objectives. It encourages a lot of them to be losers.
On 10/23/02
James from OH said:
You must be joking, you really don't think that these deadbeats have been served an injustice do you? The children are the ones that suffer, not some crackhead who won't pay his/her child support. The taxpayers are already covering the cost of raising their children, why not add their jailtime onto the bill, at least that way they pay some type of debt!
On 09/05/02
mike from NC said:
Well, If you really do work in a jail you shouldn't!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Paying child support if ordered by a judge is a law to the person in order. If the person chooses NOT to pay they are in breach of a law. Notice the word CHOOSES not to pay, there is no such thing as can't afford to pay if you have children you have an obligation to pay!!! I do agree on one point of yours, it should not be up to the tax payers to pay for the imprisement of these offenders, and yes jail should be for the "REAL" criminals. But it should not leave a child hungry or without clothes either. A real education comes
21 thru 25 of 28 comments



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