Conflict of Interest

[drumchakra08]

If anyone out there can answer a few questions for me, I would GREATLY appreciate it! About 5 years ago, my ex-wife filed a divorce behind my back, served my mom with the papers and sealed the deal without giving me the details (I got suckered into signing the paperwork after being told we would work things out). Anyhow, about 4 years ago, my ex-mother-in-law (whom is a snake in the grass), got a job at the local courthouse for the DA's office. She worked her way into the system and has based my child support case out of that county. Not to mention when the child support case came to court, they used a phone number to "contact" me in which had been disconnected for about a year and said "I was unreachable". After everything was said and done, I owed a whopping $500 per month when I only make $1200 per month (approx. 45% of my total monthly income) making it hard for me to survive. My question is this: Since I live in Texas and the mandatory amount for child support is 20% of my income, who do I contact to petition the courts to change the amount? Also, there is a clause in the decree stating that if I die, my child gets ALL of my belongings, no questions asked. I wish to change this because my ex-wife and her new live in boyfriend with their new baby, live under the roof of my ex-mother-in-law and neither have had a job in the past 3 years! So they're living off of my child support and doing nothing. Not only that, but they never return my phone calls and it is up to them to dictate if I get to see my daughter (haven't been able to see her in over 15 months). Now, I'm a week away from having my new born with my new wife, JUST got a new job and am having the child support taken out of my check (until I can get it lowered) and my ex-mother-in-law is up to it again, trying to sue for back child support since I lost my job last September. Is it conflict of interest since she works in the office in which the child support case is administered and overseen? Can I get it transfered to the county (or to a state level), so that it is not in the exact office in which she works? My daughter lives with her and my ex-wife, my ex-wife's live-in boyfriend and their new child.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I want to see my daughter, lower my child support and see if there is a true conflict of interest in which I can present to the courts. Thank you to all whom have any advice to offer. I could use it right about now! Good day.

[Dogmatique]

If anyone out there can answer a few questions for me, I would GREATLY appreciate it! About 5 years ago, my ex-wife filed a divorce behind my back, served my mom with the papers and sealed the deal without giving me the details (I got suckered into signing the paperwork after being told we would work things out).

OK, so you DID agree to the proposal, correct?

Anyhow, about 4 years ago, my ex-mother-in-law (whom is a snake in the grass), got a job at the local courthouse for the DA's office. She worked her way into the system and has based my child support case out of that county.

What do you mean by this exactly? Was there a child support order prior to this?

Not to mention when the child support case came to court, they used a phone number to "contact" me in which had been disconnected for about a year and said "I was unreachable". After everything was said and done, I owed a whopping $500 per month when I only make $1200 per month (approx. 45% of my total monthly income) making it hard for me to survive.

When was this order made? Does that amount include arrears?

My question is this: Since I live in Texas and the mandatory amount for child support is 20% of my income, who do I contact to petition the courts to change the amount? Also, there is a clause in the decree stating that if I die, my child gets ALL of my belongings, no questions asked. I wish to change this because my ex-wife and her new live in boyfriend with their new baby, live under the roof of my ex-mother-in-law and neither have had a job in the past 3 years! So they're living off of my child support and doing nothing. Not only that, but they never return my phone calls and it is up to them to dictate if I get to see my daughter (haven't been able to see her in over 15 months). Now, I'm a week away from having my new born with my new wife, JUST got a new job and am having the child support taken out of my check (until I can get it lowered) and my ex-mother-in-law is up to it again, trying to sue for back child support since I lost my job last September.

So you ARE in arrears, correct? What do you mean by your ex MIL suing you? She has no standing to sue you. Do you mean that she's helping your ex-wife?

Can I get it transfered to the county (or to a state level), so that it is not in the exact office in which she works? My daughter lives with her and my ex-wife, my ex-wife's live-in boyfriend and their new child.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I want to see my daughter, lower my child support and see if there is a true conflict of interest in which I can present to the courts. Thank you to all whom have any advice to offer. I could use it right about now! Good day.

Do you actually have a visitation order?

[drumchakra08]

Q: OK, so you DID agree to the proposal, correct?
A: I was given ONLY and ONLY the signature page, no details, so YES, I messed up there. Found out the details of the divorce had been filed, as I was faxed over the signature pages and did not reside in the county at the time (several hours away).

Q2: What do you mean by this exactly? Was there a child support order prior to this? (re: mother in law/child support case possible conflict of interest).
A: After reviewing the paperwork after I got home, my ex-MIL actually resided in the DA's office/court house at the time all the paperwork was drawn up and currently works next to the processing attorney for the county's child support cases. This is my main question: Isn't that a conflict of interest having my ex-MIL working in the same office right along side the people that oversee and enact my child support case? Call me paranoid, but this woman used to drug me with vicodin in my ice cream when I was married to her daughter so that I would not leave the house and go have hang time with my guy friends. Just want to cover all my bases. My ex-wife and daughter live in the same house as my ex-MIL, as the ex-MIL (and my child support) pay for all the bills for my ex-wife, her live in boyfriend of 3 years and their son they had together.

Q3: When was this order made? Does that amount include arrears?
A: This order was made during the same time as the divorce decree. The child support wasn't filed until later because I was told by my ex-MIL that there was still another form to sign to complete the divorce and THIS was the agreement to pay $500/month (without any income proof from me, mind you) and the clause stating that if I die before my daughter is 18, she (meaning THEY) get everything that belongs to me. I have a new wife and a son on the way myself; I don't want this to go legal if something happens to me and my current wife and son lose everything. How can I petition the court to change the child support order? Do I absolutely HAVE to hire an attorney?

Q4: So you ARE in arrears, correct? What do you mean by your ex MIL suing you? She has no standing to sue you. Do you mean that she's helping your ex-wife?
A: YES, I am in arrears by $3000. Not exceeding the legal amount ($5000) in Texas before you can be arrested, but my ex-MIL was trying to have me served today since I got a job and they hadn't heard anything from the OAG of Texas stating that I reported my new job (in which in fact I already reported to the state last Wednesday). My ex-MIL is handling all my ex-wife's affairs, including paperwork and is working with the people in the office in which she works to nail me to the wall for every little infraction she can find. This goes back to my question about conflict of interest being that my daughter lives in the same house as my ex-MIL and my ex-MIL is handling everything in her office with her colleagues. That just makes me extremely nervous, given the courthouse politics operating off of the good-ole-boy system in that area.

Q5: Do you actually have a visitation order?
A: NO. The visitation states that it is at the mother's discretion and IF, and ONLY IF, the mother agrees to any/all visitation, I can not leave the county in which they reside. Everytime I come to see her and call her up, my ex-wife contacts my sister whom lives in the town (will not speak to me directly) and tells her that my daughter is sick, has to go to a school function, birthday party or is at her grandfather's house, etc. Basically evading every attempt I make to see my daughter, thus, making is look as though I don't make any attempt at all to see my daughter. It even got so bad, I even considered dissolving my rights all together, being it would be best since my daughter is young and never sees me, thus, alleviating any attachment issues she might gain. My ex-MIL and ex-wife have trained her to call her mother's boyfriend "Daddy" and me by my name "Chris". This has been emotionally trying, but I don't want to keep getting screwed out of seeing my daughter and out of most of my income. My ex-wife has been living off of the $500 (45% of my income) per month I send (along with her boyfriend and their son), as well as state paid welfare and food stamps that they collect. Mind you, both my ex-wife and her boyfriend (and their son) live in my ex-MIL's house which she pays for all the bills and food. They just sit at home and collect handouts while I scrounge to make ends meat along with my wife working (and being pregnant).

[525601minutes]

my ex-MIL actually resided in the DA's office/court house at the time all the paperwork was drawn up and currently works next to the processing attorney for the county's child support cases. This is my main question: Isn't that a conflict of interest having my ex-MIL working in the same office right along side the people that oversee and enact my child support case?

With that logic the DA can't charge you with any crimes you commit.
Sorry it does not work that way.

Call me paranoid, but this woman used to drug me with vicodin in my ice cream when I was married to her daughter

And you have police reports, medical reports, etc. to back that up?

[drumchakra08]

With that logic the DA can't charge you with any crimes you commit.
Sorry it does not work that way.

And you have police reports, medical reports, etc. to back that up?

No, she confessed it to my ex-wife, so YES this is just hearsay at this point. I was really just trying to emphasize the seriousness of this woman's trickery, but we're dealing with law and facts are all that count, I understand.