Money Matters, Simplified.
Bristol Palin sues former boyfriend for child care support
by Jamie Anderson - January 23, 2010 - comments
Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol wants her baby-daddy Levi Johnston to pay a chunk of money towards the support of their child Tripp.
Palmer, AK, January 23 -- Bristol Palin, the eldest daughter of Sarah Palin, has sued her former boyfriend, Levi Johnston, for failing to provide enough money for the support of their one-year-old son.
The daughter of the former vice-presidential nominee is seeking $1,750 a month for the care of the baby, Tripp.
Monthly payments demanded
In a court filing she maintained that Johnston paid merely $4,400 in the whole of last year for his son.
"I have received limited and sporadic financial assistance from Levi," claimed Bristol.
Going by the monthly claims that the 19–year-old Palin is demanding, Johnston owes her $18,350, given the amount is due to her since the birth of Tripp in December 2008.
“Bristol has provided nearly 100 percent of the care and custody for the parties’ child. However, Bristol has received only limited and sporadic child support payments from Mr. Johnston,” mentioned Bristol’s lawyer Thomas Van Flein, in the complaint filed in state court in Palmer, Alaska.
Palin argued that the Alaskan law necessitates non-custodial parents to shell out an amount equal to at least one-fifth of income up to $105,000, by way of support. In 2009, Johnston, by way of modeling and interviews, made more than that amount, asserted Palin.
Meanwhile, Johnston’s lawyer, Rex Butler, claims that his client was clear in his intentions and had on numerous occasions intended to support and give money for Tripp’s care.
All that the father requested was for Bristol to bring Tripp with her, but she did not oblige.
Huge responsibility on Bristol
Prior to the current feud, Palins and Johnston had good relations. In fact, the latter had campaigned for the Palin family when Sarah Palin stood for the post of vice-president.
It was during one of the campaigns at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota that the cat was let out of the bag and the world came to know that Bristol, still a teenage, was five months pregnant and that Johnston was the father.
Bristol and Levi called off their engagement in March, 2009, barely three months after Tripp was born.
While filing a petition for full legal custody of Tripp in November, Bristol claimed that, "Levi is not yet mature enough to take on significant parental responsibilities."
Ever since, Bristol has taken the responsible task of bringing up the child. She admits that being a single mother is no walk in the park.
"I have this big supportive family, but I felt so alone. Reality sunk in, that I have a kid, this is my life, my full-time job," said Bristol in her talk with Oprah.