Florida Child Support Payment

Residents rally to support Keefe

PARKERSBURG -More than 30 family and friends, some coming from as a far away as Florida, rallied outside the Wood County Courthouse Tuesday to generate awareness and support for Sean Keefe, a Vienna man serving a six-month sentence for refusing to pay alimony to his ex-wife.

Caroline Keefe, Sean Keefe's wife, said organizers wanted to raise awareness.

"Until it happens to you, you don't realize there is no law to protect you," she said.

Two years after Sean Keefe divorced his ex-wife a DNA test revealed he was not the father of the couple's youngest son. Regardless, Keefe was bound by state law. He was ordered to pay $1,300 a month in child support and $1,800 in alimony. Keefe agreed to pay the child support but has refused to pay alimony. In May, he was sentenced to six months in jail by Wood County Family Court Judge Brian Dempster.

Keefe and his supporters, including his oldest son Ryan, are trying to promote his plight and affect a change in the state law.

"You just can't look at the situation and not believe it is wrong," West Virginia Sen. David Nohe, R-Wood, said. Nohe attended Tuesday's rally to show support for Keefe's cause and meet his supporters.

Nohe and fellow Sen. Donna Boley, R-Pleasants, sponsored a pair of senate bills last session to address Keefe's conundrum. Senate Bills 502 and 503 were introduced this past session of the state legislature. The bills would allow the court to consider vacating child support in situations where DNA evidence can support a claim a person did not biologically father the child and would bar alimony where there is proof of an affair.

Nohe said both bills failed, however, he and Boley will craft a new bill relating to alimony and paternity fraud.

"Many states have adopted this law and it is time for West Virginia to do the same," he said.

Before his incarceration, Sean Keefe created a series of YouTube videos. He and his supporters have also launched a Facebook page to build support for the bills, WV.Paternity.Fraud.

In addition to the rally, organizers are also circulating a petition that will be sent to Acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.

Caroline Keefe said Sean has never missed the $1,300-a-month child support payment.

"It is not about child support," Nohe said.

Keefe's oldest son Ryan, 24, married with a 2-year-old son, was among the supporters Tuesday. He described the situation as "out of this world." Ryan Keefe said he never imagined his family drama would have evolved into its present situation.

Does the State of Florida retro back child support? | It's Child ...

Time June 13, 2011 at 8:52 am

each state has very different laws regarding back child support, but even if they dont back date it to birth of child it should at least got back to when the case was established, now that paternity has been established he has no more get out clauses, but as some men do not rush to donate their dna and think that will delay the start date of their payments I am pretty sure that it goes back to date of case.

From the time she was born. Judicial discretion to vary ANYTHING in a support order is very limited. See Child Support Guidelines http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0061/SEC30.HTM&Title=- >2000->Ch0061->Section%2030:

61.30 Child support guidelines; retroactive child support.–

(1)(a) The child support guideline amount as determined by this section presumptively establishes the amount the trier of fact shall order as child support in an initial proceeding for such support or in a proceeding for modification of an existing order for such support, whether the proceeding arises under this or another chapter. The trier of fact may order payment of child support which varies, plus or minus 5 percent, from the guideline amount, after considering all relevant factors, including the needs of the child or children, age, station in life, standard of living, and the financial status and ability of each parent. The trier of fact may order payment of child support in an amount which varies more than 5 percent from such guideline amount only upon a written finding explaining why ordering payment of such guideline amount would be unjust or inappropriate. Notwithstanding the variance limitations of this section, the trier of fact shall order payment of child support which varies from the guideline amount as provided in paragraph (11)(b) whenever any of the children are required by court order or mediation agreement to spend a substantial amount of time with either parent. This requirement applies to any living arrangement, whether temporary or permanent.

(b) The guidelines may provide the basis for proving a substantial change in circumstances upon which a modification of an existing order may be granted. However, the difference between the existing monthly obligation and the amount provided for under the guidelines shall be at least 15 percent or $ 50, whichever amount is greater, before the court may find that the guidelines provide a substantial change in circumstances.

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