Is there a time limit to collect back support?

My ex-husband and I were married in Michigan and my son was born there. We divorced in 1969 when my son was a tiny infant. My Ex rarely paid child support, (payments were made through the "Friend of the Court") and after he moved to Arizona in 1972, the Michigan Friend of Court took him back into court in Arizona on two different occasions to try and get him to make payments, to no avail. In 1975 he sent in $1000 one time when he was trying to get me to send my son to Arizona for a visit but that was the last payment he ever made.

Knowing that he was usually unemployed, or under-employed, with no assets, I have never done anything else to try and collect on all the support payments he owed me over the years.

I have just learned that my Ex has just received a sizable inheritance from his aunt. Would I have any chance of collecting on this old debt after all these years? Our son is now 36, but he has a new baby daughter that I would love to start a college fund for.

I don't know if it matters, but I am now living in New Jersey and the Ex's address is Texas.

My response:

Any applicable Statute of Limitations has come and gone a long time ago. Plus, there are numerous "equitable" defenses against any type of action you might be contemplating.

Let it go.

IAAL

MI law has a statute of limitations of 10 years from the date the last payment would have been due. You are way past that.