Criminal Law/childsupport

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Expert: - 9/21/2009


Question
Hello Mr. Tooney...i have a question about child-support. Ive been going to my court dates and i am in-compliance  with my support monthly. I missed my recent court day (compliance hearing) but called the district clerk and told them i could not make the court date ..i was injured at work. They advised me to fax them my doctors excuse and i did so ! They didn't accept it and issued a warrant a month later. Now they want 5000 lump sum just to lift the warrant!. i don't know what to do now!

Answer
Ethan,

Child support matters are certainly not something that I deal with.  However since there is a warrant for you I can comment on that.  Since you are wanted on a warrant you could be arrested at anytime.  The police (or whoever does fugitive hunting in your area) could come to your door, you could be stopped for a minor traffic violation and the warrant would show up, or you could have another minor encounter with a police officer and he could run your record.

I have never heard of a deal where the government would accept money to lift a warrant but I guess that is how they do things in your jurisdiction.  Since it would be illegal for me to give you legal advice I would suggest that you contact an attorney for advice in this matter.  You don't want to end up in jail over this.

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Jack Toomey

Expertise

Please do not ask me about potential jail sentences that you, your friends, or family might receive in court. There is no way for me to know that. Only a judge could answer a question like that. I am also NOT a probation officer or parole officer so I cannot answer questions that relate to parole or probation. Also please keep in mind that every state has different laws. If you are planning to ask a question about a specific law or criminal charge that pertains to your state only it could be difficult to answer. I also cannot give you legal advice on what to do or what not to do in court. Retired police officer with 26 years experience. Worked in the patrol division as well as over 14 years in the detective bureau. Investigated a wide range of crime such as murder, rape, robbery, theft, fraud, missing persons, and other very sensitive crimes. I am available to answer your questions about criminal law and especially as it applies to police work. I taught at the police academy for several years and am especially knowledgeable about search and seizure. Any question about criminal law is welcome! Please don't ask me to do your homework or ask me questions that obviously come from your teachers or professors. I also do not do online interviews or surveys. Young people need to gain face to face interviewing skills. Local police officers usually are very agreeable to assist in these assignments.

Experience

I am a retired police officer with 26 years experience. I investigated almost every type of crime including murder, rape, theft, missing persons, fraud, and domestic abuse. I am very knowledgeable about search and seizure and taught at the police academy for several years on a variety of subjects. I can answer questions that a lot of attorneys cannot since they do not have "street experience".

Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Science degree in Criminolgy from the University of Maryland.

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