According to TMZ, Damon Dash, the co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records, claims he is surrendering to New York authorities to deal with outstanding warrants for failure to pay child support. This is happening nearly three years after a family court judge signed a warrant for his arrest. Dash is accused of owing roughly $400k in support.
In Ontario, there is a branch of the Ministry of the Community and Social Services called the Family Responsibility Office (“FRO”) that enforces child support orders. Under Section 5 of the Family Responsibility and Support Arrears Enforcement Act, 1996, S.O. 1996, c. 31, FRO has the authority “to enforce support orders where the support order and the related support deduction order, if any, are filed in the office and to pay the amounts collected to the person to whom they are owed.” Once an order or agreement is filed with the court, FRO is automatically given the power to enforce it.
Some of the “enforcement mechanisms” that can be used by FRO include:
- Taking the payments directly from the delinquent parent
- Garnishing the bank account of the delinquent parent
- Garnishing 50% of a shared bank account
- Canceling the delinquent parent’s passport
- Suspending the delinquent parent’s driver’s license
- Registering a lien against the delinquent parent’s personal or real estate properties
- Issuing an order against a third party who is helping the delinquent parent hide income or assets
- Reporting the delinquent parent to the credit bureau
The FRO can also deduct payments directly from the delinquent parent’s wages or other sources of income. For example:
- Sales commissions
- Income tax refunds
- Employment Insurance
- Workers’ Compensation
- Severance pay
- Pensions
In more extreme circumstances – like the Damon Dash case, the delinquent parent may face severe legal penalties for their unwillingness or inability to pay child support. This can lead to the parent paying additional fines and being sentenced to time in jail.
For more information regarding child support and the Family Responsibility Office, please visit our website at www.separation.ca.
Schedule a Consultation Today
If you have questions or concerns about your child support order, contact the Ontario child support attorneys at Feldstein Family Law Group P.C. today. Our legal team can help you explore your legal options and, if necessary, represent your interests if you decide to request a child support modification. No matter the complexity of your case, you can rely on our lawyers to help you secure a positive case result that protects your child and safeguards your quality of life.
Our firm has been serving the residents of Ontario for over 30 years. Contact Feldstein Family Law Group P.C.at (905) 581-7222 to schedule a free in-office consultation.