Pasadena family law attorneys have been following actor Charlie Sheen's case with great interest. Sheen’s ex-wife, Brooke Mueller, has lost custody of their twin boys due to her drug addiction, but is still getting child support payments. Last week, Sheen and Mueller struck a deal in which he agreed to continue paying $25,000 a month in child support for the twins, even though they are no longer living with her. She was previously receiving $55,000 per month.
The boys are being cared for by Denise Richards, Sheen's other ex-wife. Richards and Sheen have two daughters together. Richards also has an adopted daughter of her own.
This arrangement is by no means typical. A parent must normally have custody of the children in order to be seeking child support payments. If Sheen wanted to protest the continued payment of the child support, he'd be well within his legal right rights to go to court. However, he has publicly stated that he does not want to completely take away Mueller's income while she is seeking treatment and attempting to regain custody of the children.
If a third party is caring for the children as a temporary legal guardian, he or she can seek child support from the biological parents if needed. Richards could legally seek financial support from either Sheen or Mueller, but has not done so. Initially, Sheen is said to have offered her extra money to help care for the twins. She allegedly refused the cash and decided that she has the means to care for the children on her own.
For average parents without Hollywood-sized paychecks, it's best to contact a qualified child support attorney immediately if there are changes in who is caring for the children. Custody is just as important as the income of each parent in determining child support obligations.
How Can We Help?
Please call our office at (626) 683-8113 or email us at info@PasadenaLawOffice.com if you are in need of assistance regarding a child support issue. Our Pasadena family law firm can help ensure that you receive the money you need to care for your children.