Complaint Review: Attorney General Child Support Division Of Texas - Temple Texas

I am the father of two from a previous marriage. Let me say first that I have been completely up to date on all child support payments and even ahead. The divorce was about 10 years ago. In the last few years the mother started using drugs with a guy she hooked up with. Needless to say this led to a rough life. The kids decided to move in with me as they were unable to deal with thier situation at home.

They did this on a trial basis as agreed upon by the mother. In which she would be glad to turn over custodial rights if they decided to stay. Sounded Fair enough. A couple of months later she ended up arrested and sent to a corrections facility.

I could not afford the 3500.00 an attorney wanted to take on a custody case. So I elected to inform the child support office of the attorney general, who had set the amount of support in the first place and stated that any changes in my income or hers would be grounds for a support hearing in which the support would be adjusted accordingly.

I told them about the children being in my posession and that I had since been re-married to a disabled person and had an additional natural dependant. And that I wanted to request a review. This was over a year ago.

In this time I have gone through a living hell trying to get a hearing. First they send my a package of papers to fill out, which were for the purpose of requesting childsupport services in an attempt to collect child support.

I told them I wasn't trying to collect anything, and just wanted them to adjust the amount I was paying to reflect the current circumstances. After recieving more papers and returning them filled out, I was told I would have to wait for up to 6 weeks for a hearing. I had little choice.

Then after about 8 weeks I decided to call to find what the hold up was. I was told that they had contacted the mother and she told them I had not had the children for any other time except my visitation. Therefore they dropped my case.

I ofcourse disputed this information and the fact that I was not even given chance to respond or provide proof. I was then sent a package of papers to fill out. These were to apply for their services in attempt to collect child support.

Once again i told them I was not trying to collect but just to apply for a hearing. I was sent more papers and asked to provide proof of residence for the children. I supplied school records, and was told at that time that they could not help me untill it had been six months since the kids were in my posession. Though irritated I still had little choice.

Six months later i called to again request a hearing, armed with my required 6 month old problem. They had no idea what i was talking about, and said I would have to apply for a hearing. After calming down I did just that and ofcourse recieved the same package of papers to apply for their services to collect child support. This time I went to the office and asked about it. They gave me the right paper work and said I needed to again show proof of residence.

By this time we had undergone such financial havoc that my cousins who were like second parents to the kids had offered to allow one of them to stay with them to help me out. My reasoning was that at least one would be well fed and taken good care of untill I have things straightened out. So I let my son go.

I supplied school records again, along with a complaint of their handling of the case and the information that the mother was locked up and haveing someone deposit child support checks and send her the money. I filled out all papers right there in the office to avoid further delay. And was told I would definitely get a hearing date within 6 weeks.

Again I waited the time frame out only to hear nothing. I called again and was told that there was no pending hearing or scheduled hearing on my case, But they would be glad to send me the application for one. I demanded to speak to someone higher up and was transfered to another lady.

She told me my hearing was rejected because my son had lived with someone else for three months and that the mother had exclusive rights to determine residence of the kids. I told them again that the mother was locked up and was making no decissions for the children at this time and hadn't for more than 8 months or so. This phone call lead to another package of papers, and you guessed it, they were for applying for their services in collecting support.

I gave up at this point and have since been shelling out money and struggling at home trying to care for the family with my crippled income while supporting my X wife in the penitentary. She was set free a few months later, and went straight back to a life of drugs. But now the kids after missing their mother for so long wanted to move back with her.

With her having custody I could not resist, however it seems she did not have a home to move to. So now the kids live here with me in wait for their drug addict mother to find a house and a job and let them move back with her. I have little doubt that she will never do these things. And meanwhile the struggle continues...

This office is in place for the sole purpose of the children, and in this case has failed them miserably. They also collect a fee for handling the child support. Something else I am completely up to date with.

John

Troy, Texas
U.S.A.