Child support unit-"Asume" office

[w_gil]

I just want to say that the people that work at "Asume" in PR, do not want to do their job. They just want to get paid. My ex owes me more than $26,000. I faxed them all the information needed and they did not have the decency of returning my calls. I spoke to so many people and they switched me so many times that I noticed that nobody there knows what they are doing. What a shame!! They should just close those offices and save all the money the government is wasting on them. I wish there was something I could do about this situation. My ex owes my kids money and nobody is doing anything about it. What can I do? Who can I talk to? I faxed the information to Maribel Sanchez. All I know is that there is a God watching everything and I know He will help me. Thank you and have a nice day!

[IDeJesus]

You need to file your claim for child support through you local Family Court - Child Support Unit. If you know where your ex-husband is, if he is employed and you can provide CSU with a SS#, they will serve him with a complaint and an order to appear. If he fails to appear in Court to defend himself against your claim for child support then a judgment may be issued against him. CSU itself will process a levy or garnishment against his wages, directly through his place of employment. The matter gets a bit more complicated if he is unemployed or self employed. In any event, these things are best handled in person. Over the phone you will definitely get the run around. You may also want to consult a family lawyer. Some will take these types of cases, on principle, and will not charge you anything until you have recovered the backpay owed to you.

Do not dispair.

[This message has been edited by IDeJesus (edited 12 June 2000).]

[w_gil]

Hello Dejesus: I want to thank you for taking your time and for your kindness. I already have a case in PR. According to someone that I spoke with, the court ordered him to pay $75.00 MONTHLY for TWO CHILDREN. Now, how in the world am I going to survive with that kind of money? According to them, he owes only 2,000. He is working at a clinic in Quebradillas. He must be filling income tax every year. How come they don't have an attachment to his return? I have no idea how he is doing it, but he must have somebody or an angel that's helping him. According to my papers that I get every three months from the child support unit here, he owes me over $26,000. I think that what I am going to do is talk to a lawyer in PR. Once again, thank for taking your time .

[IDeJesus]

You are better served by speaking to a lawyer in your jurisdiction who will enforce the US's CSU Order. The statutory rate for child support in NY is 17% of Gross Income. It is the same in PR. If a PRican Court ordered him to pay 75$ a month he must be making very little money. Less than 11K per year. That does not surprise me since it is no secret that wages in PR are slaveman wages. I still recommend that you speak to a US attorney who specializes in Family Law.

[w_gil]

Hi again! Yes, I guess he was not making too much money before, but that was seven years ago. And I found out that he went to school and has a much better job at the same place, (a clinic in Quebradillas). I had an attorney here in Connecticut, but he was not able to do anything. We even went to court(child support unit) and we did not accomplished anything at all. What do you think I should do next? Once again, thank you.

[IDeJesus]

The problem with the judicial system in this country is that it is only as good as your lawyer. If you have a Judgement or Order, against your ex from a CT. court, that Order is enforceable in PR. But your lawyer has to know civil law which is what is practiced in PR. In the US the study of civil law is reduced to one semester beacuse there are only 2 or 3 states that are civil law states.
A Lawyer who has no civil law experience will not know how to enforce your judgement or order in PR. There are many lawyers in the US but few good ones. Find a lawyer who is interested in your case as a matter of principle first and business second.

Good luck.

[SOOF]

My husband is from Puerto Rico and he has had the same problem as you but REVERSE! His ex-wife literally took his son and moved back to Puerto Rico while he was on a mission for the military. She knew he would not have the money or be allowed the time from the military to go and fight for custody in court in Puerto Rico (that is where the divorce was filed). She lied of his where abouts so the papers would be sent to the wrong address so he could not contest the stipulations: no visitation and $400 a month in child support!!! She got it and got it illegally! He's been fighting fairly through the courts and after 4 years he has seen his son 2 times and has to pay her the $400. He doesn't even see $200 a month after car payments, rent, food, utilities...etc. Bankrupcy is getting closer and closer... The court only gives you a few months to contest the the fraudulent way she handled the paperwork and by the time he found out it was too late! I work a full time job and we have a little girl who's never seen her brother who is now 6 years old. All he wants is too see his son. You think this system got you...I could give you an earfull!!