Hi, caferacerz, and welcome to WebAnswers.

If you are now just being hit with this, it would appear that this is a relatively recent child support action, but it would also appear that the child's mother knew more about your than a casual "fraternization" would suggest.

In any event, to aid you in your information quest tomorrow, here is the Tennessee Child Support portal of the Tennessee Department of Human Services:

http://tn.gov/humanserv/cs/cs_main.html

It is odd that you were not served, but in what jurisdiction do you now live?

Thank you for your question.

I currently reside in Florida, have not Been in Tennessee since 1993, I have had no contact from anyone, I just found out yesterday my bank card was declined. And on my credit bureau show TN child Support no amount, shows current last reported was 06/2011. First I have seen it. But no adverse on credit. I am really lost here. If I contact Tennessee child support will that open a can of worms? Or should I try to find an Attourney? Hard when they put a Leon on my account that I pay bills for my family.

Well, far be it from me to tell you NOT to contact an attorney, but you will likely need one in Tennessee, not Florida. The problem is that you do not know in what jurisdiction you need one.

So, if you already know one in Florida, he might be the best bet to make an inquiry, at least, with TDHS, in order to find out who's on first. I mean, for all you know, TDHS may very well have the wrong guy.

In the meantime, you will need to discuss the matter with your wife and have her open a separate bank account, FOR NOW, and change any direct deposit you might have coming your way. The point is: you need to do damage control fast and furiously, and mitigate the situation as quickly as possible.

This one was hard to find information but maybe this will help. Just to let you know I'm not a lawyer and Peanutbred knows much more about legal topics than I can. Acccording to the information I found Tennessee made a special lien for use by the Department of Human Services or its contractors.

Source:
http://closingtable.blogspot.com/2010/08/child-sup port-liens-in-tennessee.html

Now they talk about real estate and a public notice rule. I'm going to research this more because I don't understand how they can attach a lien without a notice.

But, that lien would not serve to attach real estate not in Tennessee.

Well, it only takes a few minutes of ah, casual fraternization, to incur a long-term obligation.

But as you say, it is very strange that you were not contacted before, if the young lady (to be polite) were really in need.

For that matter, if no DNA test were ever done, and she was, let us say, free and easy in her attitude towards young soldiers, where is the proof that it is yours?

And where is the child now? If you are the parent, then you have the right to meet that individual. Maybe if she expected you to pay, she should have given you visitation rights?

It is also possible that it is a false charge. As you say, someone else may have used your social security number falsely. Or there may have been a mistake in data entry. Or, if you have a common name, the bank may have simply applied the order against your account instead of that of the correct "John Smith".

I agree that you need an attorney ASAP. You also need to talk to a bank officer, as there has to have been a formal order submitted to the bank in order to place a lien on your account, and you have the right to know the details of that order. That will give you the legal information you need to track down the original court order and take appropriate action.

If you were stationed at Ft. Campbell at the time, you are most likely to have been involved with someone living across the state border in Clarksville, TN, the closest town to Ft. Campbell, and that would mean that the case was brought in Montgomery County.

Here is a link to their website - needless to say it is closed today as this is a holiday.

http://www.mcgtn.org/court

Just because the order is from TN doesn't necessarily mean that is where the child was conceived. It's just where the mother and child resided when she decided to file for support for her child.

Mother could have been a "buddy" anywhere you were stationed who simply moved to Tennessee at some point.

What a horrible shock to find out the way you did.