Sherri Shepherd Ordered to Pay Child Support for Child Born Via Surrogate

A court has ruled that Sherri Shepherd, longtime actress and television personality, must pay child support for a young boy born via surrogate, upholding a previous surrogacy contract.

Shepherd had requested that the contract be voided and her name be erased from the child’s birth certificate, after separating from then-husband Lamar Sally prior to the child’s birth.

According to court documents, Shepherd and Sally hired a surrogate to carry their child prior to divorcing more than a year ago. Upon separating, Shepherd challenged the contract, and Sally accused the former television host of wanting nothing to do with the infant child. 

Shepherd has suggested previously that Sally “duped” her into having the child, only to receive support payments. The latest ruling means that Shepherd is responsible for continuing to pay the $4,100 per month in support payments to Sally.

Sally told the media in late November that Shepherd does not want to be a part of the young child’s life. Sally, who works as a substitute teacher and writer, resides in Los Angeles with the 1-year-old boy.

Determining Child Support in California 

In California, there are a number of legal guidelines in place that help assess and determine child support. Essentially, the state laws give special attention to the costs of caring for a child, according to both parents’ incomes. Typically, custody involves a custodial parent and non-custodial parent, with the non-custodial parent expected to pay their share to the custodial parent.

However, there are a number of factors that make the assessment of child support increasingly complex. It is not uncommon for the custodial parent to go lengthy periods of time without receiving support from the non-custodial parent. It is also not uncommon for the non-custodial parent to experience issues or additional stress when working to make support payments. Underemployment or unemployment continues to be an all-too-common issue in support agreements.

As a result, child support disputes usually involve one or more of the following:

• Pursuing unpaid child support
• Readjusting child support payments if circumstances change
• Calculating child support payments

If you or someone you love is experiencing a child support dispute, or would like to revisit a previous child support agreement, you need the assistance of a family law attorney, who can provide counsel according to the laws in your home state.

In San Diego, the lawyers at Fischer & Van Thiel, LLP are experts when it comes to handling family law matters. Our legal team has a proven success across a number of related practice areas, including child support and custody agreements or disputes. Whether you are in the beginnings of a divorce, working to collect child support owed or face unreasonable demands for support, our attorneys can help you.

Our attorneys can help you to reach a favorable outcome. We invite you to call our office today at (858) 935-6211 to schedule an initial consultation to assess your case.