Filing for child support in Virginia is a reasonably straightforward process. If your child has a legal father (meaning he has claimed the child as his own and is listed as the father on the child’s birth certificate) the father is responsible for paying child support to you if you’re the child’s custodial parent.
In cases where the paternity of the child is in question, you will have to establish paternity before filing for child support in Virginia. A Virginia family court may order paternity testing to be done if necessary.
To begin the process of filing for child support in Virginia, you need to file a copy of the support order with your local court, or with the court in the state where your child’s father lives.
It is generally considered better to file in the state where the payer lives, because it’s easier for the local court to carry out the consequences in case of non-payment. However, the states are required to uphold each other’s child support orders, so wherever your ex lives in the U.S., he will need to adhere to the order.
The court can help make sure your ex follows through with his child support payments and it has effective procedures for enforcing child support orders and dealing with “deadbeat dads.”
Contacting a Virginia Divorce Attorney
There are very specific rules governing divorce in Virginia. At Hofheimer Family Law Firm we are committed to providing you with the experience and compassion you deserve and the successful results you need to move on with your life. Request a FREE copy of our divorce guide for women in Virginia, or reserve your seat at our monthly divorce seminar – 757-425-5200.