Case Study
Child Support Disputes

Child support obligation cut by 40% — with retroactive credit.

Tamika J.'s order was based on her ex's prior income. After he stopped paying, she absorbed the gap alone. We documented the change and got her both an immediate fix and a permanent modification.

Tamika J. — full case breakdown

TJ
Tamika J.
Atlanta, GA  •  34 years old  •  Healthcare administrator

Tamika's ex lost his job and stopped paying child support, but the court order was based on his previous income — she was on the hook for the gap while waiting for a modification. We helped her get a temporary agreement and a formal modification on the docket.

Before
The challenge
  • Ex-husband's income used to calculate support was $78,000/year — he had since been laid off and was working part-time at $32,000
  • Child support order: $1,850/month based on that prior income
  • Ex paying $0 while modification was pending — Tamika absorbing the $1,850 gap herself
  • Two previous attorneys told her modifications take 6–9 months minimum; she'd already waited 4 months with no filed motion
  • Her daughter (age 7) needed orthodontic work that the support was supposed to cover
Approach
The work we did
  • Gathered 6 months of paystubs from ex showing income reduction (W-2, pay stubs, unemployment documentation)
  • Built a financial profile showing Tamika's current income and household expenses
  • Filed a formal Motion to Modify Child Support with the court citing documented changed circumstance
  • Simultaneously filed a Motion for Temporary Orders to address immediate cash flow gap while modification was pending
  • Coordinated with Tamika's attorney to respond to ex's counter-filing with income documentation rebuttal
  • Prepared a child support guidelines worksheet using Georgia's official calculation formula
Result
What happened
$1,850
→
$1,100
New monthly support obligation
  • Support reduced by 40% based on ex's documented income change
  • Temporary orders issued in 6 weeks — Tamika received retroactive credit for 4 months of overpayment
  • Total process from engagement to finalized order: 4.5 months
  • Daughter's orthodontic costs included in revised order as shared extraordinary expense

See what this process looks like for your situation.

Tamika's case hinged on documenting a changed circumstance and filing both a temporary and a permanent motion. Every dispute has its own shape — but the framework for getting the court a clean record is the same.

Explore Child Support Disputes →
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