Maryland Prisoners May Be Granted Child Support Suspensions

Prisoners in Maryland will now be able to ask for their child support payments to be suspended while they are incarcerated. Thanks to a new bill that was passed in the state Senate, prisoners can automatically have their payments suspended for the term of their incarceration, an act that has brought both support and angry responses from state citizens. Once the bill has been signed into law by Maryland's governor, child support payments can be suspended for any prisoner without them even requesting it. In the past, prisoners could petition to have their payments suspended but the request was not always granted. Now these prisoners will be given the chance to have their payments suspended, ensuring that they do not find themselves in legal trouble once again for negligence to make support payments.

The bill has raised concerns with parents that are supposed to receive child support payments. They say that it is unfair that their children be punished for having a parent that is incarcerated. Are you owed child support payments for your children? If so, speak with a family lawyer in your area to see what options you have to collect past due support.