Usually the judge will give you a chance to start paying child support. After your first appearance the judge may give you another courtdate sometime in the near future, giving you enough time to try and pay towards the support. If you have never went to court for nonpayment before then I doubt the judge will throw you in jail. He would much rather give you a chance to start paying. Now after the first courtdate, you dont start paying and you have to go back multiple times then he can force you to go to jail. Usually, depending on the amount owed can mean anywhere from 30 days to a year. But usually they will make you do a work release program where you will pay back the support owed while you are working. Also the judge could file a warrant for your arrest and make your bond the amount of money that is owed in child support. But like I said usually this only happens if you dont start to pay after the first courtdate.

I'm sorry to hear this. With what you've posted, I would say you are getting biased responses from court. I have heard of this happening on both sides of the situation when someone has an ex in the system in any way. Did you have an atty? What state are you in? I can't imagine a SAHM/primary caregiver not being granted at least 50/50. Can you share more of the history?

Sounds crazy, but if you had been a man, you would have been in jail by now. Dads do NOT have the option of even being SICK. So, good luck with your job, start looking for as many ways as possible to make money and start counting down the days.