[fancyPantsZero]

your alimony and child support amounts should be tied to your income levels right? if so, you could see if your obligation can be reduced since you don't have any income. I think a lawyer would be good to have for this process but maybe not strictly required in the short term if you just need immediate relief from your support obligation.

[dragonwriter]

> your alimony and child support amounts should be tied to your income levels right?

At the 30,000 foot level only. Usually, they are concretely set by a court at fixed dollar amounts, and you must petition the court based on changed circumstances to get them altered. OP reports doing so and failing. It may be the right thing at that point would have been to appeal that ruling (but appeals are not necessarily cheap), especially if the state has a strong objective rule that the decision did not comport with (some do, and rogue judges are a thing, especially when they have animus against a party, which “the party is a sex offender” might easily explain.)

[prottog]

My understanding is that in most states, getting alimony and child support payments lowered due to changed circumstances of the father is very difficult even with legal assistance.

[jstarfish]

You can petition the court once every 3 years or so, and they look at your average income over the previous 3.

He might just have to struggle with being in arrears for a few years if the current agreement was issued recently.

[novocantico]

My goal isn't to stop providing for my children's needs. That $3k/month is their rent, food, clothing, and bills.

[fancyPantsZero]

right but if some short-term relief helps you get back on your feet and out of the suicide groove, you are doing better for them long-term