Schuyler County Dad Lands in Jail for Failing to Pay Child Support

Finger Lakes Daily News:

A Schuyler County man was given a 90-day jail sentence for not paying over $11,000 in past-due child support, following an appearance in Schuyler County Family Court on Tuesday (July 19, 2022).

(T)he man was found in willful violation of a prior court order because he failed to pay $11,735.85 in court-ordered support for the benefit of his two children. This failure to pay stretched back to at least July 2018, and had already resulted in numerous judgments, a probation sentence and a prior order of incarceration, court records showed. The man is also facing a new child support violation proceeding, that can also result in up to an additional six months of incarceration. Most recently the respondent was picked up on a child support warrant in Chemung County on Monday (July 18, 2022).

Assistant County Attorney Vinton Stevens presented the violation case for the County Attorney’s office. At Wednesday’s court appearance, Stevens advised the court that the respondent had not made any payments toward the amount due since December 2021, although the man had been employed and paying up until that time.

Based on the evidence, Stevens argued that the respondent should be sentenced to 90 days in jail, due to the man’s failure to meet the conditions of a previously imposed suspended sentence.

The respondent was represented by Schuyler County Assistant Public Defender Mark Raniewicz.

After hearing from the attorneys, and giving the respondent an opportunity to speak, Schuyler County Family Court Judge Matthew Hayden determined that the respondent should be jailed. Therefore, he sentenced the respondent to ninety days of incarceration. Hayden also directed that the respondent could be released from jail if he paid the full amount of back child support.

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The man’s name and address were not released to protect the privacy of his children and family.

Schuyler County man jailed for failure to pay nearly $31,000 in back child support

A Schuyler County man was given a 60-day jail sentence for not paying nearly $31,000 in past-due child support, following an appearance in Schuyler County Family Court on Wednesday (July 6, 2022).

According to the office of Schuyler County Attorney Steven Getman, the man was found in willful violation of a prior court order because he failed to pay $30,993.72 in court-ordered support for the benefit of his two children. This failure to pay stretched back to at least November 2018, court records showed.

Assistant County Attorney Vinton Stevens presented the violation case for the County Attorney’s office. At Wednesday’s court appearance, Stevens advised the court that the respondent had paid only $1,910.65 toward the amount due. Stevens also noted that the man was recently apprehended on a criminal court warrant in Chemung County, and he was already facing extradition to another state for a separate criminal prosecution.

Based on the evidence, Stevens argued that the respondent should be sentenced to 60 days in jail, consecutive to any sentence for the Chemung County criminal matter.

The respondent was represented by Schuyler County Assistant Public Defender Mark Raniewicz. Raniewicz asked the court to consider his client’s circumstances, arguing that the respondent intended to get a job and pay support upon his release from incarceration and that the court should impose any jail sentence concurrent to any sentence in Chemung County.

After hearing from the attorneys, and giving the respondent an opportunity to speak, Schuyler County Family Court Judge Matthew Hayden confirmed the man had willfully violated the child support order, and determined that the respondent should be jailed. Therefore, he sentenced the respondent to sixty days incarceration, consecutive to any sentence in the Chemung County criminal matter and entered a money judgement for the past due child support. Hayden also directed that the respondent could be released from jail if he paid the full amount of back child support.

Getman said he was satisfied with the court’s decision.

“These jail sentences send a message that will hopefully resonate,” Getman said. “Under New York State law, parents who willfully fail to obey court orders of child support can be sentenced to up to six months for contempt of court.”

“Parents who refuse to support their children can, and will, be punished when appropriate.”

The County Attorney’s Office represents the Department of Social Services in prosecuting child support cases brought in Family Court by that agency. In addition, the office provides support collection services for eligible custodial parents seeking assistance in establishing and enforcing orders for child support.

The County Attorney’s Office was assisted in the prosecution and presentation of the case by employees of the County’s Child Support Enforcement Unit.

The man’s name and address was not released to protect the privacy of his children and family.

Savona man jailed on family court’s child support warrant

A Savona man was remanded to jail on a Family Court warrant, tied to his failure to pay child support, on Wednesday (August 7, 2019).

According to County Attorney Steven Getman, the respondent was previously found in willful violation of an existing court order because he failed to pay $475.00 in back child support for his two children, together with an additional $344.00 in judgments.  According to court records, the respondent was scheduled to appear for sentencing on the violation July 16, but failed to do so, resulting in Family Court Judge Joseph Cassidy issuing a warrant for his arrest.

The respondent was later located in Steuben County, after the Schuyler County Attorney’s office determined he was on probation in that county for an unrelated criminal offense, Getman noted.    He was taken into custody in Steuben County and transferred to Schuyler County for further proceedings on the warrant.

The respondent was arraigned before Montour Falls Village Justice Donald Spaccio, who continued bail at $475.00 and remanded the respondent to jail pending the next Family Court date.

Schuyler County Attorney Steven Getman

Getman represented the petitioner at the court appearance.   The respondent was represented by Schuyler County Assistant Public Defender Valerie Gardner.

“Under New York State law, parents who willfully fail to obey court orders of child support can be sentenced to up to six months for contempt of court,” Getman said.  “Furthermore, support violators who do not appear in court as ordered, can be subject to a warrant of arrest.”

The county attorney’s office represents the Department of Social Services and Probation Department in prosecuting child support cases brought in the family court by those agencies.  In addition, the office provides support collection services for eligible custodial parents seeking assistance in establishing and enforcing orders for child support.

The man’s name was not released to protect the privacy of his children and family.

Elmira man jailed for failure to pay child support, probation violation

Watkins Glen, NY (July 16)--An Elmira man was given a 60-day jail sentence for not paying past-due child support and violating his probation, following an appearance in Schuyler County Family Court on Tuesday (July 16, 2019).

According to County Attorney Steven Getman, the respondent was found in willful violation of a prior court order because he failed to pay over $2500.00 in back support for his two children and absconded from probation supervision.

Schuyler County Attorney Steven Getman

At Tuesday’s court appearance, Getman noted that the respondent had been placed on probation in 2018 for prior violations of the court’s support orders.    However, Getman said, the respondent continued to miss payments and then absconded to California, causing a warrant to be issued for his arrest.

The last payment was made in September, 2018, Getman said.

Based on the evidence, Getman argued, the respondent should be sentenced to jail.

The respondent was represented by Schuyler County Assistant Public Defender Mark Raniewicz. Raniewicz asked the court to consider releasing his client on a suspended judgment, giving him time to make payments.

After hearing from the attorneys, and the respondent, Acting Schuyler County Family Court Judge Joseph Cassidy determined that the respondent should be incarcerated.  Therefore, he sentenced the respondent to sixty days in jail, with the opportunity to “purge” the sentence if he paid at least $1000.00 towards the back child support.      Cassidy then ordered the man immediately taken into custody by court security.

Getman said he was pleased with the court’s decision.

“This jail sentence sends a message that will hopefully resonate,” Getman said. “Under New York State law, parents who willfully fail to obey court orders of child support can be sentenced to up to six months for contempt of court.”

“Parents who refuse to support their children can, and will, be punished when appropriate.”

The county attorney’s office represents the Department of Social Services and Probation Department in prosecuting child support cases brought in the family court by those agencies.  In addition, the office provides support collection services for eligible custodial parents seeking assistance in establishing and enforcing orders for child support.

The county attorney’s office was assisted in the prosecution and presentation of the case by employees of the county’s child support enforcement unit and county probation department.

The man’s name was not released to protect the privacy of his children and family.

New York's high court approves extended jail for willful failure to pay child support

Syracuse Post Standard:

People who deliberately refuse to pay court-ordered child support can go to jail for consecutive six-month sentences for repeat violations, New York's highest court ruled Tuesday...

The Court of Appeals, with six judges ruling unanimously, said Family Court can revisit jail sentences for willful violations that were previously suspended and order an offender jailed on all of them. Those sentences can run consecutively, extending the time an offender can be locked up....

Federal data show that unpaid child support has risen over the past 30 years from nearly $3 billion to more than $115 billion nationally

The complete decision can be found here.

Watkins Glen man arrested on child support warrant

Copyright © 2015 Finger Lakes Daily News

On Friday, March 27, Richard A. Franklin, age 39, appeared before Family Court Judge Dennis Morris on the outstanding warrant.

The warrant was issued when Franklin failed to appear for court in February on a petition charging him with contempt of court, due to his failure to make child support payments.

At Friday’s court appearance, assistant County Attorney Steven Getman asked the court to incarcerate Franklin, due to a history of non-compliance.

More at the link above.

Campbell woman jailed for not paying child support

Fingerlakes1.com:

A Campbell woman was sentenced Tuesday (December 22) to immediate incarceration for failing to pay nearly $1150.00 in back child support.

Assistant County Attorney Steven Getman represented the support collection unit. Getman, noting that this was not the woman’s first violation, asked the court to imprison her immediately for contempt of court. At the time of court, records showed that the woman owed approximately $1149.00 in back child support.

The punishment was imposed by Family Court Judge Dennis Morris. Morris directed the woman to report to the Schuyler County jail immediately (December 22) to begin her sentence. He ordered her released at 5:00 pm on Christmas Eve, with a direction to serve two additional weekends of jail thereafter. The woman was then taken into custody under the order of commitment.

Woman gets jail over back child support

Elmira Star-Gazette:

A Steuben County woman was ordered to serve four weekends in the Schuyler County Jail, beginning this weekend, for failing to pay over $1,000 in back child support.

The children live outside her home and are on public assistance in Schuyler County, Assistant County Attorney Steven Getman said.

Authorities did not disclose her name for privacy reasons.

The punishment was imposed Tuesday by Family Court Judge Dennis Morris.

For more on the story, click the link above.

Steuben County Woman Sentenced for Missed Child Support

Copyright © 2014 Twin Tier News:

A Steuben County woman has been sentenced to four weeks in the Schuyler County jail’s work release program for failing to pay over $1,000.00 in back child support...

The last payment was made in January 2014, according to the Schuyler County support collection unit.

Assistant County Attorney Steven Getman represented the support collection unit...

The punishment was imposed by Family Court Judge Dennis Morris. Morris ordered the woman to report to the Schuyler County jail this Saturday (October 25) to begin her sentence.

For more on this story, click the link above.

Ithaca man sentenced for failure to pay child support

Fingerlakes1.com:

An Ithaca man is facing a thirty-day jail sentence for not paying past due child support, following an appearance in Schuyler County Family Court on Tuesday (October 7, 2014).

[T]he man was found in willful violation of a prior court order, due to his failure to pay nearly $1200.00 for the support of his teenage child. The last payment was made in April 2014, according to the Schuyler County Support Collection Unit.

The case was prosecuted by assistant County Attorney Steven Getman. Getman argued that a sentence of jail was appropriate, given the failure to make payments for approximately six months. Earlier this year, the child had been on public assistance in Schuyler County, Getman noted.

The sentence was imposed by Family Court Judge Dennis Morris. Morris did not order the man immediately incarcerated, but suspended the jail term to give the man time to pay the back support.

If the man fails to begin making payments by November 1 he can be returned to court and jailed at that time, Morris held.

For more information, click on the link above.