New Jersey residents who emigrated from other countries of origin are not immune to various problems that other families in this state deal with from time to time. In fact, even celebrities sometimes encounter serious family law challenges, such as Britney Spears, who continues to battle her ex-husband Kevin Federline over child support issues. For immigrant parents who also have legal status problems, navigating the family justice system can be all the more stressful.

As for Spears, she is said to have suffered a mental breakdown in 2007. Her former spouse has had custody of her two sons since then. The boys are not the only children Federline has, for he happens to be the father of six. He says he makes less than 1 percent of Spears' income and that he should be receiving more than $20,000 per month in child support from their mother.

In fact, Federline has asked Spears' father, who has been acting on her behalf, to ask Spears to agree to $40,000 per month instead. Her father responded by asking Federline to submit a written outline of how the money will be used for the boys. Federline says he was insulted by the request and has countered by petitioning for an Income and Expenses Declaration from Spears.

This means she will have to reveal her net earnings. When New Jersey parents negotiate their own custody or child support terms, they still must seek the court's approval. If they are unable to resolve their disagreements, they can litigate the issues in court. A judge reviews each family law situation by its own merits, although there are state guidelines that help the court oversee such matters. A family law attorney can act on behalf of a concerned parent in court, and some attorneys have both family law and U.S. immigration law experience.

Source: cheatsheet.com, “Britney Spears and Kevin Federline's Child Support Battle Just Got Really Ugly“, Aramide Tinubu, May 29, 2018