Non-custodial parents throughout Minnesota and other northern Midwestern states often struggle to pay child support. Whether they are struggling because of employment situations, recent releases from prison or other setbacks, they may be unfairly judged for their inability to pay. Still, there are some parents who, by all accounts, should be able to afford their support payments. For one former National Football League athlete, child support nearly led to a 15-month prison term.
Rison has famously been featured on the ESPN documentary called “Broke,” an expose into the poor financial planning that often accompanies athletes’ meteoric success. Rison admits in that film that he spent upwards of a million dollars on jewelry alone, perhaps compromising his ability to pay child support now.
Officials say the Flint, Michigan, native has failed to pay some $332,000 in child support as ordered in 2002 by an Arizona court. This is considered a violation of his probation. The athlete was nearly given a prison sentence, but a judge instead decided to extend his five-year probation that was handed down in 2002. Rison will serve another 12 months’ probation for his recent violations. Legal documents show that since 2012, the athlete has not complied with a single month’s worth of child support payments.
Still, it appears that there is hope for the embattled athlete, who has had several coaching jobs at prestigious institutions throughout the nation. Rison has now moved to Arizona and is teaching private lessons for aspiring football stars.
If you are having difficulty paying for your child support, you have legal and financial options. Consider seeking the assistance of a qualified family attorney to help you learn more about your rights in court. Your family lawyer can walk you through many of the legal processes required to understand or even change the provisions in your child custody agreement. You do not have to struggle alone; seek advice from an attorney today.
Source:
www.mlive.com, “Andre Rison dodges prison sentence after more failed child support payments” Ross Maghielse, Aug. 16, 2013