Other Woman Asks For More Child Support From Buckley
Christopher Buckley, William F. Buckley’s only child, had an affair with Irina Woelfe that produced a son. The boy is now seven and he and Woelfe live in Coral Gables, Florida. Buckley and Woelfe finalized a child support agreement in 2003, which, upon Buckley’s request, gave him no visitation rights and awarded Woelfe $3,000 a month for child support.
Woelfe is now petitioning the court for more support and visitation for the child with Buckley. Buckley’s father recently died and he stands to inherit millions from his father’s estate, estimated at more than $30 million. Woelfe contends the boy is suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and that the child will benefit from a private school education and contact with his father.
According to papers filed in the case, “As Jonathan gets older, he requires love, attention and a notable involvement in his life from his father,” the lawsuit said. “It is in Jonathan’s best interest and welfare for this court to impose a contact and access schedule on the Father, so that Jonathan can establish a relationship with his Father and extended paternal family.”
It also sounds like Buckley’s millionaire father purposefully distanced himself from the “other” grandchild. William Buckley’s will read, “I intentionally make no provision herein for said Jonathan, who for all purposes … shall be deemed to have predeceased me.” He left his entire estate to his son and his other two grandchildren.
To modify child support, you have to show a substantial change in income of either parent and/or a substantial change in the needs of the child. Woelfe’s petition seeks to meet both of those requirements by stating that Buckley has had a substantial change in income based on his inheritance from his father, and that the child has special needs which would be attended to by a private school education. Regarding the visitation, it can be very frustrating when the non-custodial parent does not exercise visitation with the child. However, you can not require the non-custodial parent to exercise visitation. Unfortunately if a parent decides they do not want a relationship with their child, there is no way to legally require them to have one.