Child Support

questions & answers

Question: I never took my son father down for child support . He was in prison for 8of the 14 years of our son life. Now I want child support. And to know if they will go back and make him pay for the back years

Answer: You have the right to go to court and request child support.  You can find the documents to file for support on the Superior Court's website in the self-service center.  Look under family law to find forms and instructions.  Go to https://www.azcourts.gov/.  You may want to discuss the back support issue with an attorney.  A judge may be reluctant to order back support for the time period when the father was in prison, but it also may depend on his financial circumstances.  There are 3 programs in Arizona that you can use to get some inexpensive legal advice and guidance.  One is the Modest Means Program.  If you are financially qualified for the program, for a $75 fee, Modest Means offers a one hour consult with an attorney.  If you need additional help and the attorney agrees to take your case, the fee charged will not exceed $75 per hour.  The telephone number is (866)637-5341.  Both the Maricopa and Pima County Bar Associations have lawyer referral programs that offer a 30 minute consult with an experienced attorney.  Maricopa County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute consult for a fee of $40.  The telephone number is (602) 257-4434.  Pima County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute consultation for a fee of $35.  The telephone number is (520) 623-4625. If you do  not have sufficient money to pay for a reduced fee consult, you can go elsewhere on this website and apply to see if you qualify for a free lawyer.  Go to http://www.azlawhelp.org/accesstojustice.cfm.