In 1992, the Federal Government passed the Child Support Recovery Act. This law focuses on people who willfully fail to pay past due support obligations for a child living in another state. The judge can set a fine and/or imprison offenders for up to six months. (Repeat offenders can be imprisoned for up to two years.) The criteria are as follows-
- Your ex-spouse and the child do not live in the same state. (If they do, this law doesn't apply.)
- A judge determines the amount of child support due. There must be a court order specifying the amount due.
- If the amount due is $5,000 or less, it must be due greater than one year.
- If the amount due is more than $5,000, there is no minimum time period.
- The person's failure to pay must be willful. If he or she can show that it is difficult or impossible to pay, the law might not apply.
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