Editor's note: The venue is NYS in which CS goes to 21 mandatory; just to be clear so that no one responds "he's 18, so he's done with CS"
NYS also says that if a child enters college and he extends it past age 21, then the BM is entitled to extra CS, which I have NO doubt that is what the BM intends to have happen.

This is the third attorney that Chef has used since WELL after the divorce. He foolishly went pro se for the divorce when the BM "lawyered up!"

The magistrate is notoriously anti-father and rabidly pro-BM.

OSS who will be 18 early next month, has left the BM's custodial home with no animosity, most likely to "hit the big time in the big city." (eyeroll) and moved in with Chef's estranged brother who took the BM's side during the breakup.

According to the CO, it's an emancipation event.

So far, OSS doesn't have enough money to buy warhead candy as he admits on FB, has a part time job, is a big toker and player of vid games.

For the past 9 years, out of the three kids, Chef has been "allowed" to claim the oldest. Normally, there's a rotation with three kids; each parent taking a turn alternating claim years 1,2,1,2 etc. Not with Chef.

The CO says "Chef will be allowed to claim at least one child" which was interpreted by the BM as "Chef will claim the oldest." Chef's last attorney basically said not to challenge this arrangement as it is vague (which I pointed out to Chef a loooooonnnnng time ago and was ignored and can be interpreted as "one child" by the BM. (eyeroll)

The BM has been claiming the younger two for the past nine years. I have ZERO hope that it will be a case of Constructive Emancipation via Conduct with this magistrate.

I do think it will reiterate that Chef be allowed to claim "at least one child" namely SD, for the next two tax years, and force the BM to put OSS into community college earlier than age 21 so as to drag the CS out past age 21.

I also have the paperwork showing that the BM clearly depleted and closed the skid's college funds for her own benefit (and "forgot" to claim the earlier withdrawal on her 2004 last-joint-return-with-Chef taxes, thus sticking Chef with taxes and penalties) I did claim Innocent Spouse on his behalf and got it down to a reasonable amount as well as forced the BM to pay the lion's share of taxes owed as opposed to her pocketing a giant refund. BTW Chef wanted to ROLL OVER on that one too!! >:(

Of course, Chef, not doing paperwork, is going into this basically as the "throne in front of the power" I'm the one who has gathered all the pertinent paperwork on his behalf yet again. For which, no doubt, he will show no future appreciation of.

Wish ME luck!