Q: I’m going to court for a civil case for child support if I bring money for payment would the judge honor it
it’s the first court appearance would the chances of me getting locked up slim to none
A:
It sounds like the child support agency is seeking contempt of court against you for failure to pay. If you bring the full amount owed to court, the judge will likely not hold you in contempt, which means you would not go to jail. Most judges will honor partial payment as well, especially where I practice in Northeastern NC. However, they will set up a payment plan for you to catch up on the remaining balance and order you to pay court costs. Under this scenario, you would not go to jail.
With this being the first appearance, you could request court appointed counsel. If you qualify, an attorney will be appointed to represent you and the case will likely be continued, which will allow you time to save more money to go towards the balance owed. Of course, your balance will also increase when the next payment is due at the first of the month. Good luck to you!
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