Verbal Agreement

[LynchPalka]

About ten years ago, my former wife agreed to accept $400 per month child support, instead of the court ordered $600 due to my lack of ability to pay the total amount. She's accepted this lower amount, never asking for the increased amount. I received from her attorney yesterday a "Motion for Contempt" which is requesting about $24,000 for the difference between the $400 and $600. What about our verbal agreement. I even have a hand written note from her (not signed, but clearly her writing) that agrees to the $400. Can she now go back on her word? Am I obligated for this back amount?

 

[LadyBlu]

Isnt worth the paper it is written on...

If the judge did not sign it and agree to allowing the support to be lowered. So yes, you will be held in contempt of court for the arrears and will be responsible for paying the full amount.

Always remember.... no agreements between the parents is acceptable to the courts unless the judge has signed it as an order.

 

[MySonsMom]

Oh Lynch....Oh Lynch....Your X has majorly screwed you. She has done the ultimate. Yes, you are responsbile for the $24000 back pay....Oh Lynch. DON'T TRUST VERBAL OR WRITTEN AGREEMENTS. ALL CUSTODY AND DIVORCE ISSUES NEED TO BE SIGNED BY A JUDGE.

 

[Always searching]

It happened to us

In the middle ages, before child support was so popular, my husband had an order to pay his ex 160.00 a month and not through the court. Well she was having trouble with the boys and decided they would be better with us. We had them for 6 years (long long years) through puberty, dating driving and everything that comes along with rearing boys. I thought I wouldn't live through it. One by one they left and got married but the youngest one went back to live with mom 2 months before he turned 18, decided to drop out of school and at that time she was down on her luck. She took my husband to court and was awarded $21,000 plus arrears which came to $90,000. Could I breath? No. So the moral of this story is...just like Mysonsmom said, there is no such thing as a verbal agreement and if a snake is in the area, the possibility of a snakebite is great.

Just for the record though...if you want to know the rest of the story....she opened up a bar and needed a great deal of cash (yes she is a sleeze) and she signed off the debt and we gave her the money to save her precious bar. She lost it anyway (you can't have an alcholic running a bar) and we are child support debt free.

 

[MySonsMom]

AS: So you and your husband gave his X a check for $90000? OMG hon..OMG.

 

[Always searching]

No actually for around 5 and around 500 in beer kegs.