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It is never an easy or painless decision when a couple in Louisiana decides that a divorce is the best resolution in a marriage that no longer functions as the respective parties intended when they exchanged their vows. A very difficult consideration for many parents contemplating divorce is: How will this affect the kids?

Divorce is not always a seamless transition for children, but by no means are children of divorced parents unable to have happy, supportive lives in which they maintain a close relationship with both of their parents. Additionally, courts will work to ensure that the best interest of the child is at the heart of all custody and visitation arrangements, as well as child support orders.

Regardless of the terms former spouses are on, child support payments in Louisiana are an obligation, not an option. Such payments are crucial in ensuring that after a divorce, children do not experience a significant shift in their standard of living, or level of financial support. Failing to pay child support primarily serves to disadvantage a parent’s child.

Unfortunately, a variety of circumstances often end in a parent failing to fulfill their child support obligations. This is a problem not just in Lafayette, but across all of Louisiana and the rest of the country. One out-of-state county decided to send a clear message to parents failing to address late child support payments. Instead of arresting these parents, deputies began booting the cars of parents failing to meet their child support obligations so that they cannot drive until the child support issue is resolved.

The county says they have seen a lot of success with this program. Not only has it served to collect thousands of dollars in outstanding child support payments for custodial parents, but the program has also encouraged others in the community to be mindful of closely making their support payments as well.

While Lafayette does not currently have a program like this, it is still crucial to make these payments because failing to do so will mean other consequences.

Source: WFMY News, “Parents Late With Child Support Get Boot On Car In Michigan,” March 6, 2013

• Our firm has experience obtaining resolution in cases involving various issues relating to child support in Lafayette. For more information, please refer to our page on effective child support.