Hairston v. Lipscomb

NEELY, Justice:

Cassandra Hairston is the mother of three young children. She is not employed and has no income for herself or her children independent of the child support payments at issue in this case. Ms. Hairston was divorced from the father of her three children in 1981. The divorce order provided child support of $375 per month ($125 per child) and alimony of $25 per month for a total court ordered support payment of $400 per month.

For most of the period from 1981 through 1986 the children’s father failed to pay child support. Due to the father’s absence and refusal to support the…