Division of Child Support Enforcement v. Snelling

By Judge Robert P. Doherty, Jr.

The father was ordered to pay child support to his ex-wife for the benefit of the parties’ infant son but allowed a large arrearage to accrue. The father ultimately applied for Social Security disability benefits and received a retroactive award, a portion of which was designated for the benefit of his child. That retroactive lump sum, which exceeded the amount of the child support arrearage, was mailed directly to the child because he had by then reached the age of majority. The father claims that the lump sum payment for the benefit of the child should be…