Father abandoned me before i was born, going to college soon

[richomundo]

What is the name of your state? Born in NC, moved to CA at age 15, where I turned 18 and attained legal adult status.

I'm an 18 year old male who's never met my father. Born in North Carolina,

No child support has been paid (or ordered by a court of law) nor visitation rights have been granted, and the only time i've seen my father is in a photograph.

I'm about to graduate from High School in CA, where I turned 18. I'll be going to college soon, yet I am unsure of how I will be able to afford it. I don't know the laws, and whether or not I (or my mother) is able to collect child support that would have had to be paid. My mother and I are not bad off, but college will put a big dent in my pocket considering I'll have to withdraw student loans.


So 2 essential questions I guess...
1) What state does the child support law go in effect?
and
2) Am I able to collect payment or any type of compensation for Child Support that would have been due?

Or if anyone has any additional advice, on what action I should pursue, if any.

 

[ceara19]

What is the name of your state? Born in NC, moved to CA at age 15, where I attained legal adult status.

I'm an 18 year old male who's never met my father. Born in North Carolina,

No child support has been paid (or ordered by a court of law) nor visitation rights have been granted, and the only time i've seen my father is in a photograph.

I'm about to graduate from High School in CA, where I turned 18. I'll be going to college soon, yet I am unsure of how I will be able to afford it. I don't know the laws, and whether or not I (or my mother) is able to collect child support that would have had to be paid. My mother and I are not bad off, but college will put a big dent in my pocket considering I'll have to withdraw student loans.


So 2 essential questions I guess...
1) What state does the child support law go in effect?
and
2) Am I able to collect payment or any type of compensation for Child Support that would have been due?

Or if anyone has any additional advice, on what action I should pursue, if any.

The thing is, it takes a court order for child support to actually be owed. Even then, the money would belong to your mom, not you. On top of that, you've been a legal adult for 3 years already. There is no way to go about getting an order for support now that you are a legal adult.

 

[nicetryadmin]

I'm about to graduate from High School in CA, where I turned 18. I'll be going to college soon, yet I am unsure of how I will be able to afford it. I don't know the laws, and whether or not I (or my mother) is able to collect child support that would have had to be paid. My mother and I are not bad off, but college will put a big dent in my pocket considering I'll have to withdraw student loans.

And you're not the first, nor will you be the last person who will have to resort to student loans to help fund their college education. That's what they're there for. You should also explore other means, including a J-O-B.

 

[MrsK]

Boy, does it annoy anyone else that ppl come here & they havent met their father or its been a long time since they have seen their father (or sometimes mother) and all they are worried about is how they can stick it to them for child support like 20 years later??

Anyway, OP, no you cant get c/s. Even if there was an order, your mom would have to go after that $. FYI, a lot of college students out there dont even have the luxury of their MARRIED parents paying for college. Plenty of ppl have to get loans for college, you arent special, so get ready, and as the last poster said, look into getting a job. Maybe even two.

 

[richomundo]

I just turned 18, and according to section 7505 and 7506 of the California Family Code, the authority of my parents ceases... yet I read somewhere else in the family code(#?) that support for the child may not cease until the child has completed 12th grade or turned 19, whichever comes first.
and, I have a job, and I can pay for my own first semester of tuition. Its room and board that'll kill me.

Boy, does it annoy anyone else that ppl come here & they havent met their father or its been a long time since they have seen their father (or sometimes mother) and all they are worried about is how they can stick it to them for child support like 20 years later??

I'm not trying to stick it to them? I dont even want my mom to collect all the money that would have been owed. I'm just wondering what my options are, whether I follow through with them or not is my decision. Thanks for all your responsiveness.

 

[enjay]

If your mother never filed for child support, it is too late now. Let's pretend, for illustration purposes, that when you were 15 she filed and was granted child support. Your father would have owed child support only for the time after she filed, rather than from the time you were born.

 

[Neal1421]

I just turned 18, and according to section 7505 and 7506 of the California Family Code, the authority of my parents ceases... yet I read somewhere else in the family code(#?) that support for the child may not cease until the child has completed 12th grade or turned 19, whichever comes first.
and, I have a job, and I can pay for my own first semester of tuition. Its room and board that'll kill me.

I'm not trying to stick it to them? I dont even want my mom to collect all the money that would have been owed. I'm just wondering what my options are, whether I follow through with them or not is my decision. Thanks for all your responsiveness.

Our only options are to try to get scholarships and student loans. You are not going to be able to get anything from your dad.

 

[ceara19]

I just turned 18, and according to section 7505 and 7506 of the California Family Code, the authority of my parents ceases... yet I read somewhere else in the family code(#?) that support for the child may not cease until the child has completed 12th grade or turned 19, whichever comes first.
and, I have a job, and I can pay for my own first semester of tuition. Its room and board that'll kill me.

I'm not trying to stick it to them? I dont even want my mom to collect all the money that would have been owed. I'm just wondering what my options are, whether I follow through with them or not is my decision. Thanks for all your responsiveness.

Keep reading. Or until the child is an emancipated adult which you were at 15. Even if that weren't the case, If you are a senior in HS your mom would be looking at 2-3 MONTHS of support tops. Since there was never a case files to collect CS before now, it would only go back to the date the case is first filed.

 

[Silverplum]

And when you go to college, it'll be ever so useful if you learn to read and follow directions.

You could've done a quick search right on this site and found the answer to your o-so-common question, and been on your way in 5 minutes.

 

[ceara19]

And when you go to college, it'll be ever so useful if you learn to read and follow directions.

You could've done a quick search right on this site and found the answer to your o-so-common question, and been on your way in 5 minutes.

But it was EASIER just to ask the question again for the 10,264th time, Just like it would be EASIER to try and sue some one for money to go to college instead of paying his own way. (Which, by the way, was one of the requirements of his emancipation.)

 

[Silverplum]

But it was EASIER just to ask the question again for the 10,264th time, Just like it would be EASIER to try and sue some one for money to go to college instead of paying his own way. (Which, by the way, was one of the requirements of his emancipation.)

Damn straight!

 

[enjay]

I don't think he was emancipated early...it sounds like he was just saying that he turned 18 (thus becoming an adult) in California.

 

[fairisfair]

But it was EASIER just to ask the question again for the 10,264th time, Just like it would be EASIER to try and sue some one for money to go to college instead of paying his own way. (Which, by the way, was one of the requirements of his emancipation.)

Perhaps, because that answer is not always correct. Several lawsuits have been won by adult children suing for child support.

See:
http://www.supremecourt.nm.org/pastopinion/VIEW/98ca-093.html

Obviously, not an everyday occurence, and probably not a remedy available in every state, but obviously, can and does happen.

 

[Silverplum]

Perhaps, because that answer is not always correct. Several lawsuits have been won by adult children suing for child support.

See:
http://www.supremecourt.nm.org/pastopinion/VIEW/98ca-093.html

Obviously, not an everyday occurence, and probably not a remedy available in every state, but obviously, can and does happen.

[I lived in New Mexico for a miserable six months -- most everyone I met was, to put it kindly, an idiot. It's not at all surprising that the NM Supreme Court would rule in this flamingly stupid manner. ]

Do you have any cites of SC or CA cases that would apply to the OP? Thanks!

 

[fairisfair]

[I lived in New Mexico for a miserable six months -- most everyone I met was, to put it kindly, an idiot. It's not at all surprising that the NM Supreme Court would rule in this flamingly stupid manner. ]

Do you have any cites of SC or CA cases that would apply to the OP? Thanks!

No, but quite honestly, I didn't spend any real time looking. It will give the OP something to do if he is truly interested in pursuing this. I know that the state that I live in, Arizona, also allows paternity suits to be filed up to 3 years after the child reaches the age of 18, but think it is only the CP who can file.