Q: I want to know my legal rights and obligations regarding my estranged young teenaged son.
My then-13 y.o. son was violent with me in my own home in January, 2016. I called the police and they took him away to a psychiatric facility for evaluation. He was released two hours later to his father. Since then, my son refuses to speak to me and answered all my initial attempts to communicate with him with profanity. His father has not required that he attempt to repair things with me. I have been paying child support consistently, but I am loathe to share the cost of special privileges for him when he has not stepped forward to repair things with me or even apologize, and refuses to talk with me. What are my legal rights and obligations in this situation? I live in Northern California.
A: Unfortunately, since your son is still a minor, you are obligated to provide support to him until he reaches the age of majority or is emancipated. A child's bad behavior does not excuse the parent's obligation to support him or her. You may want to consult with an attorney who can determine whether the ordered child support is the proper amount based on your respective incomes.
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