23.06.2014 Views

Child Support Enforcement - Sarpy County Nebraska

Child Support Enforcement - Sarpy County Nebraska

Child Support Enforcement - Sarpy County Nebraska

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

usiness realities, the amount of the corporation‘s income which should equitably<br />

have been attributed to the parent.<br />

Criminal Non-<strong>Support</strong> & Related<br />

§ 28-706 Criminal Non-<strong>Support</strong>; penalty; exceptions.<br />

(1) Any person who intentionally fails, refuses, or neglects to provide proper support which he<br />

or she knows or reasonably should know he or she is legally obliged to provide to a spouse,<br />

minor child, minor stepchild, or other dependent commits criminal nonsupport.<br />

(2) …<br />

(3) <strong>Support</strong> includes, but is not limited to, food, clothing, medical care, and shelter.<br />

(4) A designation of assets for or use of income by an individual in accordance with section 68-<br />

922 shall be considered just cause for failure to use such assets or income to provide medical<br />

support of such individual’s spouse.<br />

(5) This section does not exclude any applicable civil remedy.<br />

(6) Except as provided in subsection (7) of this section, criminal nonsupport is a Class II<br />

misdemeanor.<br />

(7) Criminal nonsupport is a Class IV felony if it is in violation of any order of any court.<br />

Source: Laws 1977, LB 38, § 145; Laws 1978, LB 920, § 3; Laws 1988, LB 419, § 11; Laws 1989, LB<br />

362, § 2; Laws 2006, LB 1248, § 52.<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong> v. Eichelberger, 227 Neb. 545, 418 N. W.2d 580 (1988)<br />

Facts: Defendant fathered one child during his marriage. Later the parties separated and<br />

orders for child support were entered, while the defendant was present in court with counsel.<br />

He failed to comply with the order or pay support, leading to a criminal prosecution.<br />

Intent may be inferred from the words or acts of the defendant and from the<br />

circumstances surrounding the incident.<br />

The State proved that [the defendant] had resources with which he might have paid<br />

his past-due child support many times over. [Defendant] offered no evidence to<br />

overcome the inference that those resources were available to him had he wished to<br />

comply with the support orders.<br />

[I]t is a well-established principle that in a criminal case a court may take judicial<br />

notice of its own records in the case under consideration.<br />

In determining whether a criminal defendant is indigent as the term is used in Neb.<br />

Rev. Stat. § 29-1804.04 (Reissue 1985), a court is to consider the seriousness of the<br />

offense; the defendant‘s income; the availability of resources, including real and<br />

personal property, bank accounts, Social Security, and unemployment or other<br />

benefits; normal living expenses; outstanding debts; and the number and age of<br />

dependents.<br />

Exercise of the right to assistance of counsel is subject to the necessities of sound<br />

judicial administration. State v. Richter, supra. Criminal defendants are not permitted<br />

to use their constitutional right to counsel to manipulate or obstruct orderly<br />

procedure in the courts or to interfere with the fair administration of justice.<br />

State v. Bright, 238 Neb. 348, 470 N.W.2d 181 (1991)<br />

State v. Eichelberger, 227 Neb. 545, 418 N.W.2d 580 (1988)<br />

In the context of a criminal statute such as § 28-706, ―intentionally‖ means willfully or<br />

purposely, and not accidentally or involuntarily.<br />

- 41 -

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!