Reference no: EM133682435

Question

We represent Gwen Eldridge in the case of Eldridge v. Eldridge. The Eldridges were divorced in 2010. Mrs. Eldridge was awarded custody of their two minor children. Mr. Eldridge was ordered to make child support payments in the amount of $700 per month. He lost his job in January of 2011 and was unemployed from that date through October of 2011. He then obtained employment as an electrician. Mr. Eldridge did not make child support payments for the months he was unemployed. In January of 2012, Mrs. Eldridge filed a motion with the court that entered the divorce decree, seeking an order forcing Mr. Eldridge to pay the child support payments due for the months he did not make payments; the amount totaled $7,000. Mr. Eldridge countered with a petition to modify his child support obligation. The petition requested that he be excused from having to pay the obligations that accrued during the 10 months he was unemployed. The court ordered Mr. Eldridge to pay one-half of the amount due, $3,500 and excused him from paying the remaining $3,500. The court stated that Mr. Eldridge did not have to pay the full amount because he was unemployed during the months the child support accrued. The attorney that represented Mrs. Eldridge in the trial court told her that there is no basis for an appeal of the court order.