Daughter sues parent for College Tuition and wins.

[edro]

Can't believe the kid is willing to ruin her relationship with her parents over $16k.

She'll probably stay in school for a doctorate in art history.

 

[steppinthrax]

When I was growing up my parents indicated to me that they would always take care of my tuition. Long story short, my dad didn't have any financial plans. So when It came to college and it came time to pay, he didn't want to. I ended up paying for most of it myself.

The bullshit of this is the fact that you want your kids to succeed and not be a burden to you or society. Yet, you don't want to "help them out".

 

[Dirigible]

If you have well off parents and they won't pay you may actually be worse off than if they were poor and they couldn't.

Yup. My parents were poor so my degree from an expensive private school was nearly free.

If my parents had money, I would've needed to be self supporting for years before the school would calculate financial aid without taking parents into account.

 

[Harrod]

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2371809

Here is the old post, I have a weird memory where I remember crazy thread titles.

 

[akugami]

That girl has some balls on her...

Can someone explain how a girl with her age and, presumably, very little income could afford a lawyer for this case?

Well tell the guy who's balling her to pay for it.

And before you ask, yes I'd hit it.

 

[steppinthrax]

Well tell the guy who's balling her to pay for it.

And before you ask, yes I'd hit it.

Many attorneys will accept cases pro-bono. In many cases they love their career and they want to be known as "that attorney" to set a legal precedence.

I have a suspicion that the attorney was most likely taking her case "bono" v.s. pro-bono.

 

[Belegost]

When I was growing up my parents indicated to me that they would always take care of my tuition. Long story short, my dad didn't have any financial plans. So when It came to college and it came time to pay, he didn't want to. I ended up paying for most of it myself.

The bullshit of this is the fact that you want your kids to succeed and not be a burden to you or society. Yet, you don't want to "help them out".

There's a point at which a child needs to take responsibility as an adult and take care of their life on their own. It's not unreasonable for parents to draw that line at college tuition, at that time in life a person is legally an adult, considered fit to participate in our government, drive a motor vehicle, engage in personal and business contracts - but they can't pay for their own education?

That's nonsense. If a person is an adult then they need to be treated as one, and an adult is responsible for their own finances, including costs of education or career training. I would further argue that forcing a child to step up and take responsibility for their own education costs as a grown man/woman IS helping them out. By making it something they need to struggle for, it makes it valuable, something to be taken serious.

Disclaimer: my own parents were quite clear that the costs of college tuition were mine to bear, they were willing to let me live in their home if I picked a school in commuting range, but tuition and books were on me. I finished grad school only 3 years ago, and came out with only 26k in loans that were taken to pay for my undergrad work (all my grad tuition was paid by fellowships and research positions.) I honestly feel that I pushed myself harder to achieve in school because I had the burden of paying for it, I knew exactly what each hour of lecture was costing me, and that wasting one hour there would cost me several hours of my own labor later to pay for.

 

[Dirigible]

Many attorneys will accept cases pro-bono. In many cases they love their career and they want to be known as "that attorney" to set a legal precedence.

I have a suspicion that the attorney was most likely taking her case "bono" v.s. pro-bono.

As an attorney, I can tell you that is referred to as "pro-boner."

We also mostly do pro-bono work not because it'll make a splash but out of a genuine desire to help those who can't afford us. (I'm much less of an asshole away from forums. Dammit.)

 

[Slew Foot]

IIRC, she was boning the lawyer

 

[lupi]

There was already a thread on this when she first sued.

Am I to assume from reading the results that there is actually a law requiring paid college tuition. And does it only apply if divorced?

If so I'd quickly arrange to do a preemptive marriage to screw that bitch.

 

[steppinthrax]

There's a point at which a child needs to take responsibility as an adult and take care of their life on their own. It's not unreasonable for parents to draw that line at college tuition, at that time in life a person is legally an adult, considered fit to participate in our government, drive a motor vehicle, engage in personal and business contracts - but they can't pay for their own education?

That's nonsense. If a person is an adult then they need to be treated as one, and an adult is responsible for their own finances, including costs of education or career training. I would further argue that forcing a child to step up and take responsibility for their own education costs as a grown man/woman IS helping them out. By making it something they need to struggle for, it makes it valuable, something to be taken serious.

Disclaimer: my own parents were quite clear that the costs of college tuition were mine to bear, they were willing to let me live in their home if I picked a school in commuting range, but tuition and books were on me. I finished grad school only 3 years ago, and came out with only 26k in loans that were taken to pay for my undergrad work (all my grad tuition was paid by fellowships and research positions.) I honestly feel that I pushed myself harder to achieve in school because I had the burden of paying for it, I knew exactly what each hour of lecture was costing me, and that wasting one hour there would cost me several hours of my own labor later to pay for.

If that is the case then college tuition should be affordable for a unskilled employee working a part time job . But this simply isn't the case. What skills does a 17 - 18 year old straight college have. The solution ends up being student loans. In addition if my parents told me something like this. As a 15 yo I would be so overwhelmed I probably would end up going to trade school somewhere.

Many "good parents" my wife and I know do as much as they can (within their financial ability) to help their kids out go to college. At a minimum parents should be able to provide other options to pay for college.

Parents who flat out tell their kids that "you're on your own" are completely irresponsible and are setting their kids up for failure.

 

[KeithP]

There has to be more to the story.
This stinks of sensationalist reporting.

And of course, you are right. A quick search revealed various other stories about this case with subtle but important differences in details that make it less bizarre.

For reasons unclear to me, people seem to want to believe in the crazy rather than use their sense of skepticism to motivate themselves to try and find something closer to truth. It is one of the most sad and disheartening things about the internet.

-KeithP

 

[SunnyD]

In a lot of states and I believe in terms of federal laws, dependency extends through post-secondary education. In New York I think it was until the age of 23 provided the individual was attending a qualified institution. A parent would be able to claim that person as a dependent and get all the tax benefits as such.

This is what I would base my criteria on in this case: Are the parents still claiming her as a dependent? If not, are the grandparents by chance? If the grandparents are, then they should be the ones footing the bill for her college education. If no one is then it would be up to an amicable decision (if possible) as to whether the parents chip in towards college.

Worst case, the parents in this particular case should be on the hook for the minimum tuition at a local state college for whatever degree program this girl chooses for 4 years. She can make up the difference on her own.

Sorry parents, it's your fault you live in a shitty state with shitty laws.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I can't imagine being in a situation where I sue family, especially my parents. Some people are just sad, and greedy.

Also since when is it parents responsibility for footing education bill? Yeah most decent parents will probably setup a scholarship and help out, but it should not be a requirement.

 

[steppinthrax]

I can't imagine being in a situation where I sue family, especially my parents. Some people are just sad, and greedy.

Also since when is it parents responsibility for footing education bill? Yeah most decent parents will probably setup a scholarship and help out, but it should not be a requirement.

I can,

Because my parents were pieces of shits. Good parents would make an effort of setting something up. But it's very debatable. Yes, from a legal standpoint they don't have to do shit, but what does this say about the parents??????

 

[SunnyD]

Actually... after running the numbers, I'm going to back dat shit up.

Judge ordered the parents to pay $16k.

Per semester tuition at Temple is a little over $12k (that's just base tuition and fees for non-residents, she's from NJ). It said she is transferring from a community college, so she has two years done I'm assuming (parents have to pay for that too, separate from the 16k).

Presuming she's finishing a Bachelor's, we'll go with two years left. That's 4 semesters. $16k divided up into 4 semesters is only $4,000 each semester. I didn't see anywhere in the text that said "$16k per semester or year". For a school that costs $12k per semester, this actually sounds like a pretty damn reasonable ruling. $4,000 per semester would be comparable to a local state school in most state university systems.

Okay, my outrage at the judge is mostly gone now. The daughter on the other hand is a stupid bitch though.

 

[Kaido]

I wonder how awkward holiday dinners are at their house...

 

[highland145]

I wonder how awkward holiday dinners are at their house...

They aren't. Said he hadn't spoken to her in 2 years.

 

[Fingolfin269]

I wonder how awkward holiday dinners are at their house...

Think they crack jokes?

"Pass the bread... or I'll sue... "

 

[Childs]

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2371809

Here is the old post, I have a weird memory where I remember crazy thread titles.

She's cute enough that I'll give her a pass on this foolishness.

 

[surfsatwerk]

How many different kinds of stupid would a guy be to marry a girl who sues her parents.

 

[MrPickins]

And of course, you are right. A quick search revealed various other stories about this case with subtle but important differences in details that make it less bizarre.

Such as?

I read a few other articles, and it still seems bizarre to me.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

And of course, you are right. A quick search revealed various other stories about this case with subtle but important differences in details that make it less bizarre.

For reasons unclear to me, people seem to want to believe in the crazy rather than use their sense of skepticism to motivate themselves to try and find something closer to truth. It is one of the most sad and disheartening things about the internet.

-KeithP

This wasn't really reporting though. Obviously it was biased since the Dad wrote it.

 

[MrPickins]

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2371809

Here is the old post, I have a weird memory where I remember crazy thread titles.

That's not the same case/girl, btw.

 

[Belegost]

If that is the case then college tuition should be affordable for a unskilled employee working a part time job . But this simply isn't the case. What skills does a 17 - 18 year old straight college have. The solution ends up being student loans. In addition if my parents told me something like this. As a 15 yo I would be so overwhelmed I probably would end up going to trade school somewhere.

Many "good parents" my wife and I know do as much as they can (within their financial ability) to help their kids out go to college. At a minimum parents should be able to provide other options to pay for college.

Parents who flat out tell their kids that "you're on your own" are completely irresponsible and are setting their kids up for failure.

I can,

Because my parents were pieces of shits. Good parents would make an effort of setting something up. But it's very debatable. Yes, from a legal standpoint they don't have to do shit, but what does this say about the parents??????

That's an incredibly entitled attitude.

Your parents are "pieces of shits" because after 18 years of supporting you they decided that you needed to be responsible for your own education? Obviously I don't know your parents, but if that alone is enough to label them "pieces of shits" I rather think the issue is with you and not them.

Is there anything else "good" parents need to do in your entitled fantasyland? Perhaps they should also pay for new cars and houses for their adult children? I mean, the "kid" needs a place to live and a car to drive, obviously "good" parents would do that! They should probably also pay for their "kid's" retirement, it's really just not fair for the "kid" to need to save for themselves.

Hell, the REALLY "good" parents will just take it upon themselves to do the work for their "kids," we certainly don't want to burden them with the stress of needing to find employment, and perform difficult tasks under the pressure of deadlines.

As I see it parents are increasingly being guilted (or as in cases like this legally obligated) into supporting their children farther and farther into adulthood, while at the same time being stripped of the rights to discipline and guide children even before age of majority, and getting completely shafted into supporting an adult child who has all the privileges of adulthood but can pass the burdens of responsibility onto the parents. To my mind this is nonsense; if children want to having mommy and daddy pay for college, then the law needs to be adjusted to change when they are legally considered adults - you don't want the burden, you don't get the privileges.