Opinion ID: 1960206
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: whether the chancellor erred in refusing to enter a judgment against dane for the child support payments mike made on behalf of b.m.

Text: ¶ 8. Mike argues that he was the victim of fraud and justice requires that Diane reimburse him for the financial support he mistakenly provided for B.M. The chancellor found that child support payments which have already become due are for the benefit of the child and cannot be forgiven. In support of his position, the chancellor relied on an unpublished opinion by this Court, Morton v. Anseman, 696 So.2d 1069 (Miss.1997)(table). ¶ 9. In [ Morton ] so doing, the chancellor relied on a long line of cases holding that child support is for the benefit of the child and that past-due child support payments cannot be modified or forgiven by any court because the parent's obligation of child support vests in the child when the payment becomes due. See Williams v. Rembert, 654 So.2d 26 (Miss.1995); Thurman v. Thurman, 559 So.2d 1014, 1016 (Miss.1990); Alexander v. Alexander, 494 So.2d 365, 368 (Miss.1986). ¶ 10. The chancellor was correct in holding that Mike cannot recover the child support payments he made on B.M.'s behalf from Diane, as child support payments are for the benefit of the child and not the mother. Although the dissent asserts that affirming the chancellor will result in a wrong without a redress, that is not the case. McBride can now seek reimbursement for the child support he paid on B.M.'s behalf from B.M.'s natural father. In R.E. v. C.E.W., 752 So.2d 1019 (Miss. 2000), we held that the natural father was liable to the mother and her former husband for reimbursement of child support and other incurred expenses. Clearly, the party McBride should sue for reimbursement is the natural father, not the recipient of the support. McBride could elect to sue the natural father for reimbursement or pursue a possible claim against the natural mother for fraud He is not without recourse. Accordingly, we affirm.