Minnesota Mom Seeks Child Support Reciprocity
Heidi Shea, a mother of two, said she is not receiving child support from her ex husband due to the lack reciprocal agreement between Bermuda and Minnesota, where she now resides.
She said her divorce was granted in 2005, and her ex husband paid child support for a while, but stopped once he realized Minnesota does not have jurisdiction to enforce payment. Ms Shea said he owns a successful contracting business with hard assets and can afford child support.
According to the state’s website, as Minnesota does not have a child support services reciprocity agreement in place with Bermuda, Minnesota does not have jurisdiction to make sure he pays child support.
Ms. Shea contacted her legislator in hopes of solving her problem. As a result, Rep. Joe Hoppe sponsored HF795, which would require the human services commissioner to initiate procedures to enter into a child support enforcement reciprocal agreement with Bermuda under authority granted by federal law. Currently, nine other states have a similar reciprocal agreement with Bermuda.
She briefly made her case to legislators:
Ms Shea said because of her situation she was unable to pursue any legal action until a judge recently ordered county child support services to take her case. Even then, there was little workers could do to aid Shea in her pursuit of legal action. “It has really been a quite frustrating journey for me in trying to support our children,” she told the House Judiciary Policy and Finance Committee.
The bill was approved by the committee and sent to the House floor. The text of the bill says, “The commissioner of human services shall initiate procedures no later than July 1 2011, to enter into a reciprocal agreement with Bermuda for the establishment and enforcement of child support obligations pursuant to United States Code, title 42, section 1.9659a(d) This section is effective upon Bermuda’s written acceptance and agreement to enforce Minnesota child support orders. If Bermuda does not accept and declines to enforce Minnesota orders, this section expires December 31, 2012.”
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Ha….We can’t get the child support with BOTH parents living on this rock!! Good luck….
So the father does make enough to support his children? Than why not send the children to Bermuda to be looked after by their father… Sounds like another mother who wants it her way or no way… Hmmm!