Unemployed Father, Can't Pay Child Support For This Month. Have To Appear In Court To State This, Court Charges $117 In Court Fees. Can They Do That? Why Not Give A $117 To The Child?

Unfortunately the court can indeed charge you if you are in breech of the terms of child support payments.

Child support is a court-mandated payment made by a non-custodial parent to a custodial parent and it is designed to assist the custodial parent with the costs of raising a child. Many nations around the world have child support laws, because raising a child is believed to be the joint responsibility of the parents, whether or not the parents are still together. It is awarded by the court after the judge has considered factors like the income of the non-custodial parent, along with outstanding expenses borne by both parents. Once the court has ordered child support, the non custodial parent is expected to pay it on a regular basis.

Many parents avoid paying child support, using a variety of justifications. Common excuses for avoiding child support payments include inability to pay, lack of accountability for the money, unwillingness to have the child in the first place, to protest visitation agreements, or a personal conviction that the amount of the award is unfair. If a non-custodial parent feels that an award is unfair, it is his or her responsibility to file a formal claim with the awarding court.