This
feature will appear
weekly to highlight
stories that are
just plain ridiculous
or downright outrageous.
F & F will generally
draw these items
from recognized
news sources; when
originating as personal
communications,
only those accounts
that appear plausible
will be posted.
But F & F does
not independently
verify any item.
Three days ago,
Dan Sabbatelli received
a shocking notice
from the court:
his child support
order would not
be reduced even
though he has lost
all income due to
illness.
Here are the facts.
Dan, an F&F
member, is a union
electrician, with
previously steady
earnings. Since
his divorce, he
has had joint physical
custody of his three
daughters, whom
he has cared for
approximately half
the time. Despite
this, he has enjoyed
no reduction from
full Guideline child
support orders.
He has always paid
his child support
on time.
Last December, he
noticed an enlarging
lump, and was soon
found to have non-Hodgkins
lymphoma, a life-threatening
cancer. He has not
been able to work
since that time.
He has undergone
a demanding regime
of chemotherapy,
followed by a month
in the hospital
for a bone marrow
transplant. He has
suffered fevers,
nausea, vomiting,
weakness, pain,
hair loss, and weight
loss, among other
symptoms. His doctors
have forbidden him
from working at
all for at least
another four months,
and some kinds of
work are ruled out
for another ten
months.
Dan was unable to
work beginning last
December. He continued
to have a dwindling
income stream as
payments came in
for previous work,
but this dried up
after a few months.
Although Dan’s youngest
daughter is eight,
Dan’s ex works only
part-time cleaning
houses. Earlier
she had been a bank
branch manager.
She has made no
attempt to increase
her earnings since
Dan fell ill.
Dan filed a complaint
for reduction of
his child support
last February. Last
week, Judge Langlois
decided that Dan
remains responsible
for the full child
support order. Dan
must actually pay
30% of the order,
and the remaining
70% will accrue;
the judge will decide
what to do about
the accrual next
October. Presumably,
if Dan does well
medically, he will
be socked with a
big arrearage. In
the meantime, he
must continue to
pay 30% of the order
from whatever savings
he may have left
over after paying
his medical bills.
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