Aug 2018
Another high profile case has hit the headlines, where divorced parents are in disagreement over child support claims, but it is something that can affect anyone – high profile or not.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie married in 2014 and have six children together, but following their split in 2016, Jolie has accused Pitt of failing to support his children financially. Pitt’s reply via solicitor, was that he had provided ample support both to his children and to Jolie herself, to whom he had paid $8million for a house for her.
The Jolie v Pitt case gives extremes. True, many of us don’t have $8million to throw around, but the common denominator for anyone is the difficulty in negotiating and navigating the care of children. This may include child care, custody or even financial support.
Both parents have a legal responsibility to provide financial support, whether the child lives with them or not. However, circumstances will vary according to individual situation. For example, if a father is not named on a birth certificate, it is not always possible to pursue the individual for a claim towards the child. Equally, they may also find it difficult to secure access or visitation rights, or full time care.
It is a myth that unmarried parents have a particular bias towards the mother in terms of the child’s welfare. An unmarried, biological father can acquire parental responsibility with the mother of the child – and the biological father can also make an appeal to the court for a parental responsibility order.
As with the Jolie v Pitt case, rights remain the same for children who have been adopted – as the couple had three adopted children, as well as three biological children.
Every situation is different and should be treated as such. Therefore, it is recommended that you seek advice for your particular situation. If you would like some further information, speak to the Family team at Downs Solicitors.
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