On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Support on Friday, February 17, 2017.
Divorced Illinois parents who are finding it difficult to collect court-ordered support may be interested in news coming out of Louisiana regarding an ongoing case in that state. The former NFL player Robert Meachem began serving a jail sentence there for non-payment of child support and alimony on Feb. 13. Although he was sentenced to 30 days behind bars by a Jefferson Parish court, payment of a portion of the nearly $400,000 that is reportedly in arrears could result in an earlier release for him.
Meachem earned more than $20 million during his professional career but had only paid approximately $200,000 of the $588,000 that he reportedly owed. His ex-wife had claimed that he had previously withdrawn substantial sums from the couple’s joint accounts without her knowledge.
However, Meachem indicated that he did not closely monitor activity in his bank accounts and believed that much of the money had been taken by an officer who had been formerly associated with one of his charitable foundations as well as by an assistant. His request for a new trial was denied, and he was also fined $500 for failing to produce an assistant in court to testify in connection with the his precise financial situation.
Meachem and his ex-wife had agreed to split custody of the couple’s two children when they divorced in 2015. Now, he has been ordered to pay his ex-spouse $100,000 in order to secure an early release from jail.
Illinois parents who have been struggling to collect past due child support may want to have legal assistance. There are a variety of enforcement measures that might be available, including wage garnishments and tax refund interceptions.
Source: ESPN, “Robert Meachem jailed for owing $400K in alimony, child support,” Mike Triplett, Feb. 15, 2017
