Child Support License Suspension Failure to Pay

by Oscar from Margate, Florida, Palm Beach County


Suspension of License for failure to pay the court ordered amount of child support.



I was hurt in an accident in December 2009 and have been unable to work. As a result, I cannot pay the court-ordered amount of child support.

Although I pay what I can each month I have been issued a letter stating my license will be suspended in July for failure to pay.

I am a truck driver by profession and recently have been unable to obtain employment in this field due to previous suspensions.

My fear is that I will be denied future employment if my license is suspended this month. What can I do if I cannot get work because my license is suspended, but cannot pay the full amount because I am unemployed?

Answer to Florida Child Support Question

Dear Oscar,

You are exactly in that space called between a rock and a hard place.

Florida child support enforcement uses administrative sanctions to attempt to force payment of child support.

The reasoning is that an obligor (the person who must pay) will suddenly find the money owed rather than have his driver's license suspended.

And, I suppose, it is an effective technique for some.

However, the unintended consequence, for someone in your position is that without a driver's license you will not be able to earn a living
and so will definitely not be able to pay child support.

The Florida Department of Revenue child support enforcement agency is notoriously difficult to deal with, no matter which side you're on -- obligor or obligee.

You might try requesting the court to dispute the child support owed as arrears, since you were injured and unable to work.

This is not an easy task to accomplish, however, in theory, the state cannot collect support from someone who is unable to pay through no fault of his own.

I suggest you answer the letter from child support enforcement, go to the hearing and state your reasons for falling behind. Explain to the hearing master that without a driver's license you will not be able to work in your profession as a truck driver, even if you could find work.

Notice: We provide these answers to the general public and our website visitors as a means to further their online legal research. These answers are merely suggestions and should not be regarded as legal advice.

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Comments for Child Support License Suspension Failure to Pay

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Multiple Suspensions!
by: guitarded

Now it seems they can keep adding 60.00 to your suspensions 60 120 180 ect. when did they start this? Put in for a modification 9 months ago and there working on the 120 Never get out of this hole.

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