'Three Pony Rule' Invoked to Cut Former NFL Player's Monthly $18K Child Support

[theweaselking]

While acknowledging there are unique problems with determining the reasonable needs of children of high-earning families, the court said trial judges should nevertheless avoid overindulgence -- citing the doctrine of In re Patterson, 920 P.2d 450 (Kan. App. 1996), that "no child, no matter how wealthy the parents, needs to be provided [with] more than three ponies."

"[T]he court made no distinction between what needs were reasonable, given the age of the children, and what simply amounted to a 'fourth pony,'" wrote Parker, who was joined by Judges Rudy Coleman and Thomas Lyons.

Comments

[cacahuate.livejournal.com]

loooool.

[jerril]

Hm. Does that mean that some children need to be provided with two or three ponies?

Where's my pony?

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

No.

But no matter what, the court is not going to order that you be provided with four.

[missysedai.livejournal.com]

Although the parties' experts agreed the Strahans' marital standard of living was approximately $1 million a year, Convery found the "reasonable current standard of living" of Jean Strahan and the two children was $630,000 a year, or $52,500 per month.

Oh no, they only have $52.5K a month to live on? Cry me a fucking river.

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

Have a heart! That's only two and a half ponies each!

[chaosrah.livejournal.com]

jeez, i don't even know what to say about this... like, wow, he shouldn't have to pay that much, but honestly, does he need as much money as he has? but you know a lot of that money probably goes to the ex wife.. if they want him to pay that much, the kids should be living with him.

[katballou.livejournal.com]

Those "needs," wrote Appellate Division Judge Lorraine Parker, included the children giving their nanny a 10-day vacation in Jamaica; diamond jewelry for their grandmother; $30,000 yearly for landscaping expenses; $36,000 a year for "equipment and furnishings"; and $3,000 yearly for audio visual equipment. Jean set their clothing needs at $27,000 a year, since the children needed new outfits every time they saw their father and one of them demanded a new purse every time she left the house.


WTF?! The kids won't even be 4 until October.
No 30 year old needs a new purse every time they leave the house and I'll be damned if a 3 year old does.

However if they need a new nanny.....

[crazy-alexy.livejournal.com]

Maybe they'll need two nannies? I mean, if they need three ponies...

[liddle-oldman.livejournal.com]

And how, specifically, is one to excel in polo with such a short string? The courts simply don't understand our needs!