Legal Question in Family Law in California
Juvenile fines and court costs - who pays?
Child lives in CA with mother. Father has no custody or visitation. Father received a notice that minor child has been ordered to pay fines and restitution, and asks for fathers income, bank accounts, etc. Father was never notifed that child was in trouble or of any juvenile court date. Does father have to respond to the notice (it's not a court order) and possibly pay these fines? Shouldn't the parent with control/custody be held financially liable? How should father proceed? Thank you!
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Juvenile fines and court costs - who pays?
This sounds truly a weird one. Notice from who/what? What kind of person, entity or agency sent such a notice? Respond to [email protected].
Re: Juvenile fines and court costs - who pays?
The father, along with owing child support, is legally responsible for filling out any required forms the government sends in cases like this.
Whether he actually has to pay is another question, because clearly he has no parental role,--other than the child support obligation.
Usually juvenle courts are empathetic to parents with wayward children, and make the child figure out how to pay the expenses himself.
If it's a criminal matter, however, there may be a local law that requires parental responsibility, in which case you may not get out of it.
You may, in either case, still have an argument that you are not bound by the law in California, because the court has no jurisdiction over you to compel you to pay.
If it's a lot of money, I would suggest taking the forms to a Michigan lawyer and challenging jurisdiction, depending on the basis the court is requesting that you provide information.
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