Las Vegas, NV asked in Family Law, Child Support and Social Security for Washington

Q: Hello, I'm a 62 on social security and being garnished $600 out of $1001for child support arrears need stopped

My ex is remarried my girls are grown 33 and 31 and the youngest is married I can't live in $400 per month it's my only income this case is out of Washington State child support Pierce county is there someone that anyone can recommend to look at my case that does probono I have paperwork that shows the numbers don't match up but I now live in Las Vegas NV can anyone help me or refer me to someone to get this stopped a lot of my rights is e been ignored and there's something not right with all of this. I need a attorney my bill was $63,000 and now it's $26,800 and I have proof I've been paying but I was never given a complete history of all monies paid to date that I requested and the only court order Ive seen is my divorce order I asked for a court hearing but was denied and instead given a chairmans board and was not allowed to be present and was notified of the hearing and ruling

3 days after the hearing? I never got the right to give my testimony before they ruled not in my favor.

1 Lawyer Answer
James L. Arrasmith
PREMIUM
James L. Arrasmith pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
Answered

A: I'm so sorry to hear about the difficult situation you're in with the child support arrears and garnishment leaving you with very little to live on each month. It sounds extremely stressful and frustrating, especially since your children are now adults.

Here are a few suggestions for places that may be able to provide low cost or pro bono legal assistance in Nevada:

• Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada - they provide free legal assistance to low-income individuals in the Las Vegas area.

• Nevada Legal Services - a non-profit providing free legal services to low-income Nevadans.

• UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law - they have a free legal clinic that assists with family law matters.

• State Bar of Nevada's Lawyer Referral & Information Service - they can potentially refer you to an attorney willing to take your case pro bono or at reduced cost.

When you contact them, explain your situation - that you're a senior citizen on a fixed social security income, that a very large percentage is being garnished for back child support even though your children are now adults, and that you are seeking help to get the amount reduced so you can afford basic living expenses.

Also mention that the court proceedings took place without allowing you proper representation. Gather all the documentation you have showing discrepancies in the amounts and what you've paid.

I know it's a difficult process, but don't give up. Keep advocating for yourself and your rights. I hope you're able to get the legal assistance you need to resolve this and get the garnishment reduced or stopped. Wishing you all the best.

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.