Police Use Facebook To Track Down Delinquent Dad

Though you may be aware of the dangers associated with Facebook when it comes to divorce, you may not realize the impact Facebook can have on child support arrangements. It’s common knowledge that these days Ohio courts and law enforcement agencies are aiming to ensure that parents who owe court-ordered child support fulfill their financial obligations.

Obligors who fail to pay may be charged with contempt of court. If payments become severely delinquent, law enforcement and governmental agencies can sometimes step in and garnish wages, suspended a drivers’ license, or even put the delinquent parent in jail.

While child support is usually handled at the state level, the federal government sometimes gets involved in some situations, including when the debtor crosses state lines to avoid paying child support. In a recent federal case involving felony charges for unpaid child support, authorities succeeded in tracking down the debtor using a tool that is becoming increasingly common in such cases: Facebook.

The man is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but now lives in Southern California. He was ordered to pay child support for his daughter but allegedly has not made any payments since 1996. In 2008, authorities charged him with six felony counts of unpaid child support, and he now reportedly owes over $100,000 in past due support payments.

Investigators recently learned of information concerning the man’s location only after filing a search warrant related to his Facebook information. The social media site contains such a wealth of user-provided personal data that it is often seen as a valuable tool in criminal investigations as well as civil cases.

Facebook even provides information on how law enforcement can gain access to a user’s data beyond what is publically available. In child support cases, authorities may be looking for information on a delinquent parent’s current address, current job or source of income and any other information that may be helpful in locating the person and holding him or her financially responsible. Many of these people don’t seem to realize that the very public information they share over the internet is exactly what they are trying to keep secret from law enforcement and spouses.

If you find yourself facing the prospect of divorce, contact an experienced Ohio family law attorney who can help guide you through the difficult process. Count on the expertise of Twinsburg family law attorney Carol L. Gasper.

Source: “Investigators tap Facebook for details in child support case,” by John Diedrich, published at JSOnline.com.

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Life insurance and an Ohio divorce

Negotiating a divorce settlement can be stressful, especially when tension is high and your spouse insists on contesting every last detail. One thing that often is last on people’s priority list, but which should not be overlooked, is insurance.

Insurance policies are standard parts of settlement agreements. The spouse who pays alimony or child support is commonly expected to maintain a life insurance policy that would cover the debt owed to the spouse or children on the receiving end of the money, in case the payer dies while a debt is owed.

If you’re the spouse who is the beneficiary, you must be certain that the policy amount is sufficient to cover your children’s educations, your mortgage and related debt. It’s important to consider sticking in guarantees that forbid a lapse, cancellation or change of beneficiaries to the life insurance policy.

The death benefit on a term policy should meet or exceed the minimum amount a spouse would pay over time for spousal or child support. But more than just that simple calculation, other expenses should also be considered. For instance, is the health insurance under the paying spouse’s name? If so, what would it cost to find a new insurer and pay the premiums? That needs to be calculated into the number needed for the policy’s death benefit.

It’s critical that the details are attended to when it comes to insurance. For instance, while most divorce agreements require that a spouse purchase a life insurance policy, does yours go on to require that they maintain it? Lapsed policies can be canceled, something you surely don’t want to happen if you’re the beneficiary. Experts suggest adding the beneficiary spouse’s name to the policy as a contact that insurers can use if policy premiums ever go unpaid.

Maximum asset protection is only achieved by carefully negotiating what is needed in the present and future before the divorce is finalized. The process can be draining, but temporary tension can help ensure peace of mind in the future.

If you find yourself facing the prospect of divorce, contact an experienced Ohio family law attorney who can help guide you through the difficult process. Count on the expertise of Twinsburg family law attorney Carol L. Gasper.

Source: “Divorce and Term Life Insurance: Avoid These Three Common Mistakes!,” by Gabrielle Clemens, published at HuffingtonPost.com.

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Important Ways to Keep Your Attorney’s Fees Low

The following five things are some ways that you can try to keep your attorney’s fees low while going through the expensive process of divorce.

Think before you call

While your family law attorney is there to guide you through the process of a divorce and understands that you are going to have questions about the process, it’s important to understand that every communication with your attorney will result in being billed. Thus, it’s a good idea to save your small questions for a weekly status email with your attorney. This does not mean you should avoid communicating important information to your attorney, just think twice before you send off a quick email or make an unnecessary call asking for information that could be found elsewhere or saved for another time.

Be active in your own case

Family law cases require the production of lots of documentations. This can include financial documents, photographs, timelines of events, etc. It’s wise to help out your attorney where possible so he or she does not have to spend time (and money) trying to extract information from you. Provide whatever documents you think may be useful to your case and be quick to get back to them if they have questions.

Therapists are cheaper than attorneys

Going through a divorce can be an emotional rollercoaster ride and your attorney certainly understands the pain you are going through. That being said, attorneys are best used as advisors, not as sounding boards for your emotional issues. Good attorneys will be supportive and lend an understanding ear, but you should realize that their time equates to your money. It’s much better to turn to your friends or family to vent about your ex than be billed by your attorney.

Respond to requests quickly

There are multiple aspects of your family law case that are time sensitive. If your attorney sends you a document and tells you it needs to be notarized or that discovery requests need to be filled out and that a deadline is important, it’s critical to respond quickly. Your delay can mean that the attorney has to make several attempts to contact you or spend time getting extensions, all of which will end up being billed to you.

Make friends with support staff

While you should check in with your attorney directly about important issues relevant to your case, paralegals and others working on your case often know a great deal and bill at a much lower rate.

If you find yourself facing the prospect of divorce, contact an experienced Ohio family law attorney who can help guide you through the difficult process. Count on the expertise of Twinsburg family law attorney Carol L. Gasper.

Source: “How Do I Minimize Divorce Attorney Fees?,” published at WiseGeek.com.

See Our Related Blog Posts:

What Will Happen to Your House in a Divorce?

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