It’s one of the most interesting cases that New Jersey child support lawyers have come across this year. A court in Los Angeles, California this week rejected a $134 million claim by the children of a billionaire real estate tycoon for retroactive child support payments. The lawsuit had been brought by David and Christie Bren, the children of Donald Bren and a woman he had a 13-year long relationship with.
The children's mother, Jennifer McKay Gold had filed the lawsuit, and the children pursued it when they reached adulthood. According to Gold, the children were cheated out of the child-support to which they were entitled. She does however admit that she received approximately $400,000 a month in child support for each child between 1988 in 2002.
The terms of the child-support were spelt out in agreements that she signed with Bren, and he promised her that he would maintain a relationship with the children. She claims he reneged on that promise, and hence the lawsuit. The lawsuit claims that the children were cheated out of their rights to partake in their father’s billionaire lifestyle, which includes two luxury homes in California, private planes and yachts.
Bren’s lawyers have hit back, saying that he paid more than $10 million in child support payments over the years.
This isn't the last that we’ll hear of this fascinating case. Gold has made clear she plans to appeal. She says that some important information was withheld from the jury during the trial, and that she will reveal this during the appeal.
Child custody and support matters can be some of the most complex and emotional aspects of a divorce. The New Jersey family lawyers at Helmer Paul Conley and Kasselman represent individuals in matters related to divorce, child support, child custody, parenting time and other family law-related matters across New Jersey.
