New child support court paying off

VALPARAISO | Porter County's new child support collection court has been in operation for just five months, yet Deputy Prosecutor Laura Stafford said she already anticipates the effort paying off with more money for the many parents in need.

Stockbrokers lose licenses over unpaid child support

INDIANAPOLIS | Two stockbrokers with ties to Northwest Indiana are the first individuals to lose their state securities dealer licenses for failing to pay child support.

Former Lake County clerk could lose law license

State officials have begun the process of suspending the law license of former Lake County Clerk Thomas Philpot in the wake of his conviction for public corruption.

EDITORIAL: Move court, but help move people

Testimony in last week's trial over moving the Lake Juvenile Court's Gary child support operations to Crown Point discussed how accessible these services are to the poor. It is a symptom of a larger problem in Lake County.

EDITORIAL: Government employees need ethics training

There's a difference between what's ethical and what's legal. What former Lake County Clerk Tom Philpot did — stealing child support money — was illegal. But it was unethical as well.

Griffith father fights tax refund grab

CROWN POINT | The first hint of tax woes hit Brandon Smith, of Griffith, on Feb. 7 when he received notice he wouldn't be receiving his $512 state tax refund.

Griffith father fights tax refund grab

Brandon Smith and his children Kyron Smith, 3, and Kiley Smith, 2, at his home Friday in Griffith. Smith has been in the middle of a dispute with county and state offices about child support he doesn't owe.

Griffith father fights tax refund grab

Brandon Smith's children Kyron Smith, 3, and Kiley Smith, 2, play Friday at his home in Griffith.

Philpot sentenced to 18 months for public corruption

HAMMOND | Former Lake County Clerk Thomas Philpot was sentenced to 18 months in prison Thursday for stealing thousands of dollars in public child support incentive funds over which he had control.

Battle over court relocation postponed

CROWN POINT | A showdown over the Lake Juvenile Court judge's plans to move her child-support court staff from Gary to Crown Point has been postponed.

NAACP: Don't move child support court

CROWN POINT | The NAACP filed a petition Friday in the Lake Circuit Court for a temporary restraining order to prevent Lake Juvenile Court Judge Mary Beth Bonaventura from moving the Gary-based child support court to Crown Point.

Lake County's November child support collections top $3.2M

CROWN POINT | Last month's child support collections by the office of Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter were in excess of $3.2 million.

Ind. stockbrokers owing child support could lose licenses

INDIANAPOLIS | Hoosier stockbrokers behind on their child support payments may soon find themselves prohibited from working.

Lake prosecutor's office raises 3-month child support tally

CROWN POINT | The Lake County prosecutor's office collected about $10 million in child support for the summer months, an increase of nearly 4.7 percent from collections in the same period of 2011.

Day three of Philpot trial: Attorney advised Philpot OK to take payments

HAMMOND | Lake County Coroner Thomas Philpot received a letter telling him he did not need County Council approval to receive incentive payments from a child support incentive fund, according to evidence introduced on the third day of his fraud and theft trial.

Many new state laws take effect Sunday

INDIANAPOLIS | The Republican-controlled Indiana General Assembly approved and Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels signed 161 bills into law this year. Most take effect Sunday.

Appeals court denies child support refund

INDIANAPOLIS | A state law that takes effect July 1 that knocks two years off the maximum age a parent must support his or her child does not apply retroactively, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Friday.

Former County Clerk Philpot indicted on charges of mail fraud, theft of federal funds

A grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Lake County Coroner Thomas Philpot, alleging mail fraud and theft from a federally funded program, U.S. Attorney David Capp announced Thursday.

Failure to pay supports leads to felony count for E.C. man

CROWN POINT | Prosecutors have charged an East Chicago man with a felony for nonsupport of his four children.

Parents complain of child support ambush

CROWN POINT | The Lake County clerk's office has a collection agency going after 45,000 parents who owe his office $9.4 million, including some who are surprised and angered they're being called deadbeats.