Texas movie fans may have recently heard that actress Halle Berry has been ordered to pay her ex-boyfriend $16,000 a month to help support their six-year-old child. In addition to the $200,000 a year in support, she will also have to pay her daughter’s tuition expenses and will also pay $115,000 in retroactive support as well as $300,000 to cover legal fees related to the case.
The actress and her former boyfriend were involved in a child custody dispute back in 2012. There was no information about whether that dispute was settled, and the judge’s order made no mention of the custody dispute. Berry had wanted to take her daughter to France, but a judge blocked that move. She currently has an 8-month-old son with her current husband in addition to her daughter.
In a case related to child custody or child support, a judge will typically make an order that complies with both state law and the best interest of the child. When determining how much child support one party will pay to another party, the income of the noncustodial parent as well as the amount of money needed to support the child will both be factors in the decision. A custodial parent may be eligible for child support payments even if that parent has the means to provide for that child.
An attorney may be consulted by any parent who is seeking child support or payment or past due child support payments. A family law attorney may be able to review the case and take steps to ensure that all support obligations are being met to increase the odds that the best interests of the child are being upheld.
Source: Houston Chronicle, “Halle Berry reaches settlement on child support”, June 09, 2014