Child Support Court

North Carolina Divorce Law Divorce and Separation Answers
1

We have a date in February (finally after being separated since November). He agreed to pay NC guideline support at mediation. However, it was not incorporated into the paperwork so now he wants to go to court.

My questions are as follows:

~ What should I expect at this court date?
~ Doesn’t the judge just take the # of overnights, income, daycare, insurance, etc. and set the child support or can he come up with some lame excuse to get it lowered?
~ Does the child support go in arrears to the date we separated or is this just going forward?
~ Do I need to show proof of how I spend my money, etc.?

He has stuck to blaming me for a failed business that we had a few years ago where we had to declare bankruptcy and of course loves to tell everyone that I’m awful with money, don’t know how to manage it, etc. Can he dictate how the child support is spent or can he demand that receipts be provided each month for how I spend the funds? (that is the latest threat).

Please advise. Thank you for your time (as always).

2

The court will establish support after reviewing each party’s income, insurance costs (for the child) and day-care. Unless your ex has made a motion to deviate from the guidelines and can show that a lower amount of support is in the child’s best interest, support will be pursuant to the guideline calculation.
You are entitled to back support back to the date of filing.
You need not show proof of how you spend your money and he cannot dictate how support is spent or demand receipts.