A woman in Australia is suing famous director Steven Soderbergh for child support after breaking the news that he has a daughter down under.

News of a possible daughter came to light when Frances Lawrencina Anderson slapped a paternity suit on Soderbergh. She asked for help with medical expenses for the duration of her pregnancy and produced a DNA test that revealed him to be the father.

The suit was filed on Wednesday in a state court in NYC wherein Anderson states that Soderbergh "has acknowledged he is the father of the child verbally." Efforts to contact Soderbergh, his lawyer and his publicist have all been denied.

This comes as a shock to Jules Asner, Soderbergh's wife since 2003.

Do you want to demand child support from the man who is the father of your child? If so, you need a Los Angeles family law attorney now who can help you fight for the funds you need and deserve.  Contact our law firm now!

Larry Luther, 41, is admitting to the fact that he has lived a fast life. However, he doesn't believe that should stop him from getting custody of his three-year-old son.

He went before a judge recently to get custody of his child since its mother is facing child cruelty charges. However, since Luther's record is not squeaky clean, the state has taken custody of the child and is refusing to give it back. They are also demanding that he continue to pay child support. Even though the state also made him take parenting classes Luther is still unable to get child custody.

Adding insult to injury was the comment made by an officer at the trial on Facebook about a bouncer with 23 children and too much time on his hands. Luther was enraged by this comment and when the same officer told him to get a real job. While Luther is a bouncer, at a nightclub in Thibodaux, he claims that he makes enough to support his children with just one job.

This officer is also demanding that Luther fill out ten job applications, four of which must be done at fast food restaurants, if he wants to consider getting child custody.

Are you involved in a child custody dispute?  If so, contact our law office to get representation from a Los Angeles family lawyer.

A London chef famous for his charity work with African children has just been outed for neglecting to make child support payments for his own 16-year-old son. Bjorn van der Horst has been accused of failing to pay $93,000 in child support over the past few years.

The famous chef was just about to board an international flight when city sheriffs took him into custody at Kennedy Airport last week. When he was brought before a judge at the Brooklyn Family Court van der Horst was ordered to pay $57,000 and give up his passport. Yet this didn't give him a pass for freedom as he was brought back to "The Tombs," better known as the Manhattan Detention Complex.

Even though he is owner of Eastside Inn in London and reportedly makes over $15,000 per week, van der Horst is stingy when it comes to his son. The original court order for child support shows that van der Horst was asked to pay $2,950 a month; he only made payments totaling $800 last year and $1,500 over the previous years.

Are you owed child support?  If so, contact Claery & Green to speak with a Los Angeles family law attorney.

Child support payments in America have fallen to a new low, the lowest it has been in the past three decades. This is in spite of the fact that states have increased their ability to collect monies owed to custodial parents by garnishing employment checks and wages.  This has been offset by the high rates of unemployment across the country. In addition, states have also made it easier for non-custodial parents to request and to be granted payment reductions.

During the 2009 fiscal year federal and state governments collected $26.4 billion in child-support payments. This figure is down 0.7 percent from the previous fiscal year; this is the first decrease since 1976 when records of child support were first kept.

The average child support payment in the US is $250.

According to the Labor Department the unemployment rate rose from 9.8 percent from 9.6 percent in October alone. This number reflects several factors including the underemployed, those who are either unemployed or employed part-time but wish to work full-time, who account for 17 percent of the population.

Are you finding it difficult to pay or receive child support?  If so, contact Claery & Green to enlist the help of a Los Angeles family law attorney.

A fairly recent law in Colorado has collected over $1 million towards child support payments from deadbeat parents. The law says that winners in the casinos there who are behind in child-support payments must turn over their winnings to the state.

According to the 2008 law casinos must check the status of anyone who wins $1,200 or more; for racetracks the winnings must be over $600. These specific amounts were chosen because they are also the same numbers that will trigger tax payments to the IRS for winnings. If the casino or racetrack finds that person's name on a state registry of parents who are negligent in their child support payments, they will automatically divert that money to the state. If there is any money left over from what the gambler owes their children, they can keep that money.

Although the state didn't comment on how many children have been the recipients of this money, they did release the amount of big winners who had their money taken away - 438 unlucky delinquent parents. Of the 438, 244 were duplicates, meaning that the same person won big a second time around as well.

The largest payout so far from a single gambler was $35,468.

Are you owed child support payments?  Get a Los Angeles family lawyer involved now by contacting Claery & Green!

It is difficult getting adivorce, no matter whether you are a mom or a dad. However, there are some things that dads should know to prepare themselves for this tough time.

You should speak with a Los Angeles family lawyer as soon as possible to protect your fathers' rights in the divorce. At this time, be completely honest with your attorney, as anything that you try to hide from him/her could hurt you later on. Ask your attorney to prepare you for the courtroom and ask him/her any questions you have about upcoming events.

Make sure to involve yourself in your child's life as much as possible. In addition to playtime, take an active role in their schoolwork, parent-teacher conferences, and doctor appointments. This might be a good time to take a parenting class to learn how best to interact with and listen to your child's needs.

Despite any negativity you might feel towards your ex, encourage your child to have a strong relationship with both parents. If you are responsible forchild support, try not to be late with any payments, and always follow court orders, even if you try to fight them later on.

To receive additional guidance, contact our law office to schedule a consultation.

This week, it has been reported that the division of Sonoma County government that is responsible for collecting and distributing child support will eliminate eight jobs.  They will also move the customer call center to a new operation in Alameda County in an effort to implement cost-cutting measures.

According to recent reports, the new efforts are expected to save the colony $450,000 this fiscal year and are part of a two-year series of job cuts as well as job consolidations for Child Support Services.

The County has said that the layoffs and the call-center shift should not impact public services.  The department director, Julie Paik said, "What we're really trying to do is become more efficient internally and cut out duplicative work."

25 jobs are expected to be cut at this time.

Do you need assistance with a child support matter?  If so, contact our law office and get immediate help from a Los Angeles family law attorney today.

This week in L.A. County, Mel Gibson's former girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva has won a small court battle during her ongoing child custody case with the actor and director. A judge agreed to increase the amount of child support she receives each month from $5,000 to $20,000.

Allegedly, Oksana requested an increase in the amount of $60,000 per month.  However, on Thursday, Judge Scott Gordon issued an order that awarded her with $20,000, resulting in a $15,000 increase from her prior child support fee.

While many people would say that $20,000 a month in child support is excessive, many lawyers disagree.  Daniel Horowitz told TMZ.com, "Everything in Hollywood is to excess. They'll Gibson is worth upwards of $1 billion. It is a very modest award by Hollywood standards and a very high award by normal people standards."

At this time, Gibson and Grigorieva share child custody of their daughter, Lucia, who is 11 months.

Are you looking to get the amount of your child support modified in Los Angeles? If so, your best option is to work with a Los Angeles family lawyer.  Contact Claery & Green now!

In Michigan, a man has been sent to prison for two years for failing to pay tens of thousands of dollars in expected child support payments.  The man, 44-year-old Howard Veal, also stands accused of fathering 23 children with 14 women.

In court, Kent County Circuit Judge Dennis Leiber said, "Animals procreate. Human beings are supposed to nurture their children."

It is reported that Veal owes more than $533,000 in child support.  In July, he pled guilty to charges that he owed $60,000 in child support to a woman in Grand Rapids.   14 other child-support cases are pending against him in Kent and Muskegon counties, say news sources.

While the state has prosecuted many child support cases involving delinquent payments, Assistant Attorney General Mitchell Wood said that none have been "as outrageous as this."

Veal questions whether or not he has 23 children and said that he has always paid what he could.  He told the judge "I was paying money from my unemployment."  He also asserted that he never chose not to pay support.

Are you owed child support?  Get the help you need to collect payments by contacting our firm and working with a Los Angeles family lawyer.

This week, the former wife of Dennis Rodman said that the former NBA player continues to fail to pay her child support and that his delinquency has caused her to be evicted, twice.

Michelle Rodman says that the basketball player owes her more than $500,000 for their son D.J. and their daughter, Trinity.  She said that he has yet to keep up with the $50,000 a month payments that he was ordered to make.

Recently, Michelle filed papers in Orange County Superior Court that report Rodman's failure to pay.  She said that he failed to pay her rent twice since 2009, resulting in two evictions. 

Rodman's legal team say that the former NBA player will start to pay Michelle's rent once she moves into a less expensive property.  They also allege that Michelle is living outside of her means.  Rodman had his child support payments increased in March, but has been trying to get them lowered because he cannot afford them.

If you need assistance with a child support related matter, contact our law office to speak with a Los Angeles family lawyer.

Child custody has a large bearing on how child support is determined in a divorce settlement. In California, both parents are financially responsible for their child. When full custody is granted to one parent, that parent is considered the custodial parent, and their financial obligation is considered fulfilled.

The non-custodial parent is typically required to pay child support to the custodial parent in order to fulfill their financial obligation, and the amount of child support to be paid is determined by the percentage that each parent contributed to the couple's joint income during their marriage. When custody is split, who pays child support is determined by income during the marriage and also the percentage of time each parent has physical custody of the child.

Typically, the parent who pays child support is required to do so until the child turns eighteen, begins active military duty, or is emancipated by a court. Child support also ends if parental rights are terminated through adoption.

If you have questions about child support in California, take the time to speak with Los Angeles family lawyer by contacting Claery & Green today!

Former lead singer of New Edition, Bobby Brown appears to have finally ended a ten year long child support battle with his ex and mother of his two children, Kim Ward. Brown has been jailed several times over the last decade for failing to make child support payments to Ward regarding their children, LaPrincia, 20, and Bobby Jr., 19.

Brown was required to make payments of $5,500 a month to Ward, but recently filed paperwork claiming that he could not keep up with the payments because he has no job. Apparently Brown's legal team has reached an agreement with Ward that resolved all outstanding payment matters.

Patrick McDermott told the Boston Herald, "The big issue was college expenses and how to handle those going forward. But it was quick and uneventful, and they seem to have wrapped up all the outstanding matters."

If your ex is failing to make child support payments, talk to a Los Angeles family law attorney to determine the best course of legal action.  Contact Claery & Green now!

Top-ranked golfer Tiger Woods and his estranged wife Elin Nordegren are getting closer to finalizing their divorce. Both parties have agreed to the major terms of their divorce, and the proceedings have been kept very quiet. It has been reported, however, that Woods will have to pay out over $750 million to Nordegren when all is said and done.

There was suspicion that Woods had fathered a child with porn star Devon James after a fling the two had in 2001 according to James, but those rumors have now been quelled. The paternity of James' son was determined with 99.9% accuracy to be a man named Pele Watkins. Watkins' paternity of the porn star's son was determined through DNA testing back in 2002, and yet James, real name Melinda Brinling, began legal proceedings last month to determine if Woods was the same child's father.

If you live in California and the time has come to end your marriage, or if you have another family law matter to discuss such as paternity or child support, contact Claery & Green to speak with a Los Angeles divorce lawyer today.

According to paperwork filed in a Southern California court on May 17, Jesse Jame's former wife, Janine Lindemulder is asking for joint child custody of the couple's daughter, Sunny James, as well as child support and attorney's fees.

Lindemulder, a former porn star, has asked a court judge to force James to help her as she relocates from Oregon to Southern California and give her a 50-50 custody split of their child. The mother claims that she is currently working for Campus Marketing Specialists making $8.50 an hour. She claims that she brings in $1,170 a month from her job in addition to an average of $1,610 in royalties from her pornographic films and web content. She is currently married to Jeremy Aikman, 32, who reportedly earns $500 a month, and Lindemulder claims that she currently lives in a halfway house.

If you're facing an ugly custody battle, a Los Angeles family lawyer Claery & Green can help you. We'll work hard to ensure that your rights as a parent are protected.  Contact us now!

A legal action brought to determine a parent-child relationship is known as a paternity action. A paternity action will result in a court decree establishing the relationship and ordering custody, support, and/or visitation of the child involved as necessary. Such an action may be brought at any point after conception, even before the child is born in order to obtain help paying for pregnancy and birth-related expenses.

If paternity is admitted, then an agreement to that effect is drawn up and signed by both parents, but if paternity is denied, then the father can be ordered by the court to take a paternity test. The paternity test generally admitted by California courts is the HLA tissue test. This test involves taking blood samples from both parents and matching genetic factors to the child's blood. Results are highly accurate and are typically accepted by the courts.

Issues of custody, support, and visitation are resolved after paternity is established. If a written agreement cannot be reached by both parents, then the court will make the necessary orders.

If you are facing paternity or other family law issues, talk with Los Angeles family law attorney who can help you weigh your legal options by contacting Claery & Green!

Actor Jon Cryer has been engaged in a bitter legal battle over child support payments to his ex-wife, Sarah Trigger. However, Cryer's battle appears to be over.

The actor was required to pay Trigger $8,000 monthly in support costs, despite Cryer having primary custody of the former couple's nine-year-old son, Charlie. Cryer went to court to request that his monthly payments be dismissed.

The case was settled at a hearing earlier this month, and the outcome was sealed by the presiding judge. However, Trigger's lawyer told TMZ.com, "We're relieved it's over." Trigger and Cryer divorced in 2004 after five years of marriage.

Cryer currently stars in the popular sitcom, Two and a Half Men.

Claery & Green understands how difficult divorce can be, particularly when children get drawn into the proceedings. If you are facing a custody or child support battle, contact a Los Angeles family lawyer who can help you get through this difficult time.

Rapper and reality TV star Flavor Flav is more than $63,000 behind in his child support obligations, according to the New York Post.

Flavor Flav, whose real name is William Jonathan Drayton, Jr., owes $63,458 to Mary Parker, the mother of three of his children.

In July 2008, Parker filed to amend their original child support agreement since it only covered two of their children. This January she won an appeal to increase Flav’s payments from $117 to $837.72 per week. In the appeal the judge also ordered Flav to pay for the children’s tuition.

Flav said he has been paying for the children’s tuition, and that he's been making direct payments to Parker outside of the child support order.

This is not the first time Flav has been accused of failing to pay child support. Recently his daughter claimed he hadn’t been making payments, as did Karen Ross-Fortunate, another woman who has three children with Flav. Flav has seven children in total.

At Claery & Green we handle all types of child support cases, and are here to help you achieve your legal objections. Whether your goal is to obtain child support, find a way to catch up on your child support debt, or seek a modification of your child support arrangement, you can rest assured a knowledgeable and experienced Los Angeles family law attorney at Claery & Green will be there every step of the way. Please take a moment to contact the office at (310) 362-2273 to arrange a consultation with an attorney today.

Child support guidelines were created to ensure parents pay an amount that is within in their means while at the same time provides their children with the support they need to continue enjoying the same standard of living they had while their parents were married. The amount a parent pays is not universal, but rather is based on the parents’ levels of income and the number of children in need of support.

After a divorce, circumstances sometimes change and a parent may need to change or modify the child support order in response to those changes. Judges are supposed to grant a modification if the parent can prove he or she experienced a significant change in circumstances, such as an unexpected job loss or medical emergency.

While this is supposed to happen, often it does not, much to the frustration of the parent needing the modification. This situation happened to Anthony Fernandez, a Nevada man who was ordered to pay $80,000 a year in child support while earning $500,000 to $4 million a year in the stock market. After the economy soured and the stock market crashed, Fernandez took a job as a car salesmen, where he brings home roughly $3,000 a month.

Obviously unable to keep up with his child support obligations, Fernandez asked the Nevada Supreme Court to grant him a modification, but the court said his case must be heard by the district court. If the lower does not grant Fernandez a modification and lower his child support obligations, it will be nearly impossible for him to continue making payments. How the court expects a man making $36,000 a year to pay $80,000 in child support is beyond reason.

It's natural for a divorced couple's circumstances to change after their divorce has been finalized. Depending on the change in circumstances, it may be necessary for one or both parties to change or modify a court order. Judges understand that people's circumstances change, and are usually willing to modify an order as long it does not compromise the best interest of any children and the changes in circumstances are "significant." For example, seeking a modification of a child support order after quitting your job is not likely to going to happen. However, if you show that you've been laid off and have been diligently looking for a new job but just haven't had any luck, the judge is more likely to lower your child support obligations.

At Claery & Green, we have experience representing clients throughout Southern California in all areas of family law, including post-judgment modifications. Whether you want to modify a  child support order, a child custody order, an  alimony order, or some type of marital contract or settlement agreement, an experienced Los Angeles divorce attorney at our office can assist you in filing the necessary paperwork and argue your case before the judge. Furthermore, we can also help you gather the documents and evidence that prove you have indeed experienced a significant change in circumstances, which might include a sudden job loss, physical injury or disability, family emergency, relocation, etc.

For more information about post-judgment modifications, please contact a Los Angeles family law attorney at Claery & Green today!