Category Archives: Child Support

Adoption, Child Custody, Child Support, divorce, General Legal, Grandparent Visitation, Irreconcilable differences, Marriage, Modifications, Opinion, Property Division

Why I care who the Judge is and why YOU should too!

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Chancery Judges are some of the most powerful judges in the state.

A Mississippi Chancellor (Chancery Court judge) holds broad judicial power over cases of equity; including domestic relations (divorce, custody, child support), wills, estates, land disputes, and cases involving minors or persons of unsound mind.

They have authority to grant injunctions, punish for contempt (fines, sanctions and/or jail), and exercise these powers daily.

An ideal judge combines high intellectual capacity with exceptional temperament, impartiality, and integrity.

Key qualities include patience, legal expertise, active listening, courage, and the ability to act firmly yet with compassion, ensuring fair proceedings and timely, reasoned decisions that uphold public trust.

Fairness in justly applying the law to the facts is an oath Judge swear to do.

Showing respect to the litigants, the attorneys, and the witnesses is a must.

Being honest, patient and acting with integrity are prerequisites for any Judge.

In Mississippi, in most cases judges are elected. Most Mississippians never encounter a judge and don’t give much thought into who is judge.

I assure you who your judge is is critically important and impacts your rights to your child and your fights to your freedom.

There are judicial elections throughout the state this November.

Get involved. Educate yourself. Ask attorneys and persons that know the judge or have experience with them.

Want an honest assessment? (that’s only mildly biased) Ask me.

Matthew Thompson is a family law attorney in Mississippi and practices statewide and right now who your judge is can matter more than the facts or the law…and that’s potentially dangerous.

Child Custody, Child Support, General Legal

Child Support and Games of Chance; Your Casino Winnings Can Now Go Towards Your UNPAID Child Support…

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A recent Bill, passed by the Mississippi House and Senate, has been signed by the Governor. It allows the garnishment of Casino winnings to be paid for Child Support Arrearages.

Senate Bill 2369, amending sections of MS Law, provides that the Mississippi Gaming Commission may work with the Department of Human Services to identify if persons who have “cash game winnings, including, but not limited to, slot machine annuities, sports betting and/or other reportable cash winnings…” have outstanding child support arrearages. (The complete Bill is linked above).

If it is determined there is unpaid child support, the winnings may be withheld, seized and paid over to DHS to be paid to the obligee…the parent/guardian that is owed the money.

It creates a path for policies and procedures for allowing the State another path to recoup past due child support.

Matthew Thompson is a child custody and child support attorney in Mississippi and reminds you to pay your child support and pay it often!

Child Custody, Child Support, divorce, General Legal, Opinion

This Mississippi bill could make 50-50 joint custody the standard in divorces

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by Sophia Paffenroth March 25, 2026

See Sophia Paffenroth’s article in Mississippi Today about a proposed Joint Custody Bill.

Paffenroth conferred with multiple attorneys, professors and persons/clients who all wrestled with custody issues…

This Mississippi bill could make 50-50 joint custody the standard in divorces

Paffenroth’s article, in full, is linked above and the proposed Bill, in full is linked below.

Joint Custody Bill being Jointly Considered by House and Senate in Mississippi

Matthew Thompson is a child custody attorney in Mississippi and does think Joint Custody could be in the best interest of the child in certain circumstances…

Child Custody, Child Support, General Legal, Visitation

Mississippi’s Age of an Adult = 21, NOT 18

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At 18 you can vote; Join the military without parental consent and buy a rifle or shotgun…but you are not an Adult for Mississippi law purposes.

MS Code § 1-3-21 (2025), defines [t]he term “infant,” when used in any statute, shall include any person, male or female, under twenty-one years of age.

Recent legislation died in committee trying to bring Mississippi in-line with every other state. Most states consider a child an adult when they attain the age of 18 or 19 if still attending high school.

In Mississippi, that age is 21. That means child support is until 21.

There are some exceptions where a child can lose that status by joining the military, getting married, going to prison, or moving from home and working full-time. This is called emancipation.

So, Mississippi is unique for reasons that may not make us so special…

Matthew Thompson is a family law and child welfare attorney and has supported common sense changes in Mississippi family law and is still holding out hope that some may come to fruition…one day.

Adoption, alimony, Child Custody, Child Support, divorce, General Legal, Grandparent Visitation, Irreconcilable differences, Marriage, Modifications, Opinion, Property Division, Visitation

Bridgett Clayton for Hinds County Chancellor

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Hinds County Attorney, Bridgett Clayton, has qualified to run for Hinds County Chancery Judge!

“After much prayer and consideration, I am honored and excited to announce that I qualified for Hinds County Chancery Court Judge, District 5-3, on today.”

“I am ready to serve the citizens of Hinds County with God serving as a Lamp unto my feet and the Light unto my path as I seek election for this judicial seat to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before my God. Micah 6:8”

I am requesting your prayers and support during the campaign as well as on Election Day which is November 3.

Please be on the lookout for future campaign information. Thank You!

Matthew Thompson is a Chancery practitioner and knows-well the power, authority and responsibility that Chancellor’s have and the knowledge and wisdom they should possess. Attorney Bridgett Clayton has all of those qualities and then-some!

Please support Bridgett Clayton for Hinds County Chancellor!

Child Support, General Legal, Opinion

Non-Custodial Parent’s Bill of Rights; DHS, Child Support and Making You Pay

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Interestingly, Mississippi passed the Foster Parent’s Bill of Rights in 2023. This session, 2026, proposes a Non-Custodial Parent’s Bill of Rights.

The Noncustodial Parents’ Bill of Rights and Responsibilities which shall be provided to all noncustodial parents.

The Department of Human Services shall extend the following rights to noncustodial parents:

  • (a) Advance notification of all hearings concerning proposed modifications of child support;
  • (b) Advance notification concerning the representation of the noncustodial parent in court proceedings, which does not require an attorney;
  • (c) That the noncustodial parent shall have the same rights as the custodial parent concerning the receipt of any notification;
  • (d) Advance notice of information regarding scheduled meetings concerning the child;
  • (e) Advance notice of all meetings concerning all the agency’s crucial decisions regarding the child; and
  • (f) The ability to communicate with department personnel or representatives twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week, for the purpose of aiding the noncustodial parent.

This is not a sea-change, nor profound. The non-custodial parent is already entitle to notice, the right to counsel, the right to information, notice of meetings and decisions. The last item, the ability to communicate 24/7 seems unreasonable, but maybe that just means you can leave a message or send an email. Who knows?

Non-custodial parents already have rights! **Of note, there has yet to pass a Parent’s Bill of Rights in Mississippi law** However, even without that, parent’s have a fundamental right, guaranteed by the US Constitution to raise their child as they see fit.

Matthew Thompson is custody attorney in Mississippi and has represented hundreds of moms and dads in family courts throughout the state.

Child Custody, Child Support, divorce, General Legal, Opinion, Visitation

Joint Custody Bill- DOA – Dead on Arrival

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Senate Bill 2484, seeking to create a presumption of joint custody died yesterday, March 12.

This Bill which passed the Senate initially, then amended in the House, passed and sent back was ultimately not voted on and died a calendar death on 3/12/25.

It sought to require Joint Physical Custody and equal parenting time in every custody case unless the Court found a compelling reason to not grant shared parenting.

It necessarily would have put the every other weekend schedule as “standard” as outdated…

It also sought to amend child support determinations in the event joint custody was granted.

But, alas, it’s for naught. The scuttlebutt was there was an upswell of concerns about how far this proposal really went and that judges and even some family law attorneys had concerns.

Regardless, there will be no significant changes in family law this session…

Matthew Thompson is a child custody and child welfare attorney in Mississippi.

Child Custody, Child Support, divorce, General Legal, Marriage, Opinion

What can the Judge Order you to do in a Divorce/Custody Case?

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Getting divorced allows the Government into your life!

Getting divorced happens. It can be relatively easy or it can be one of the most difficult times of your life. However, the impact can also last a lot longer than the few months or the few years of the litigation.

The Court has the authority to make you pay child support. And in Mississippi, that can last until the child turns 21. The age is NOT 18 and it cannot be, even by agreement.

Additionally, the Court could make you pay for college, even beyond age 21.

The Court can make you pay for health insurance and non-covered medical expenses, like co-pays, prescriptions, dental, vision, and all out-of-pocket expenses.

The Court can make you pay for extracurricular activities; sports, dance, cheer and scouts. The Court can make you pay for daycare, after care, summer care and school expenses.

Cars, cell phones and private school expenses are usually not Ordered but under certain circumstances the Court could.

The Court can obligate you to hundreds and even thousands of dollars $$ per month that are to be paid or you might even go to JAIL!!

Interestingly, we really don’t contemplate any of these potential obligations when we get married…

Matthew Thompson is a child custody and child support attorney in Mississippi.