Full question:
I am a 16-year-old boy residing at Wyoming. My parents abandoned me and I am living under the support of a public welfare fund. What will be the legal consequences if my parents refuse to provide any support and maintenance to me?
- Category: Minors
- Subcategory: Child Support
- Date:
- State: Wyoming
Answer:
In Wyoming, a parent who refuses to provide adequate support to a child under eighteen (18) years of age is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($ 750.00), or both. Support of child by public welfare funds is not a lawful excuse for the parents to refuse to provide support under this section.Wyo. Stat. § 20-3-101 reads as:
“(b) Any person who without just cause or legal excuse intentionally fails, refuses or neglects to provide adequate support which the person knows or reasonably should know the person is legally obligated to provide to a child under eighteen (18) years of age is guilty of:
(i) A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($ 750.00), or both;
(ii) A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not less than seven (7) days nor more than one (1) year, a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($ 1,000.00), or both, if:
(A) The defendant has previously been convicted under this subsection; or
(B) The support has been ordered by any court and the defendant has failed to pay the support obligation within sixty (60) days after the date payment was due.
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(d) Support of spouse or child by public welfare funds or from any source other than from the other spouse or parent as the case may be, is not just cause or lawful excuse for the spouse or parent to fail to provide support under this section.
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(i) A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($ 750.00), or both;
(ii) A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not less than seven (7) days nor more than one (1) year, a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($ 1,000.00), or both, if:
(A) The defendant has previously been convicted under this subsection; or
(B) The support has been ordered by any court and the defendant has failed to pay the support obligation within sixty (60) days after the date payment was due.
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(d) Support of spouse or child by public welfare funds or from any source other than from the other spouse or parent as the case may be, is not just cause or lawful excuse for the spouse or parent to fail to provide support under this section.
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In the instant case, your parents are obliged to provide support and maintenance to you. The fact that you are living under the support of a public welfare fund is not a lawful excuse to refuse to provide support.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.
