From $96k to BROKE? Mom’s Income Mystery in Court!

Added: 2026-05-14

[00:00:00]In the interest of the Price children, what says the state? The state's ready, Your Honor.

[00:00:05]Trent Price.

[00:00:07]And who are the children involved in this case? Ella Price and Slade Price.

[00:00:12]And what are their ages?

[00:00:14]Ella is 16 and Slade is 12.

[00:00:17]Okay. Um and in 2017, um the two of you entered into an order that set child support and medical support um to zero. Is that right? Yes, ma'am.

[00:00:30]Okay. And um can you explain um what has changed since that time?

[00:00:35]Uh in that support we were supposed to pay 50% of all medical bills both sides. I have not received anything on medical bills since '17.

[00:00:46]And the kids have lived with me for the past year, uh 100% of the time.

[00:00:53]Okay. And um how are your children covered for um health insurance? It's through my wife's work's insurance.

[00:01:00]Okay. And how much do you pay um per month for their for the whole family's insurance?

[00:01:07]1,400 a month.

[00:01:09]I'm looking through my notes to make sure I was correct. I'm sorry. Okay. And how many people are covered under that insurance policy?

[00:01:16]>> Five people. Okay.

[00:01:18]And um it includes the two children involved in this case. Is that right?

[00:01:23]Yes, ma'am. Okay. And um um Do you have any information about Ms. Patterson's um employment, her current employment?

[00:01:36]I know she's working at the I guess the Chamber of Commerce at this time.

[00:01:41]Okay. Do you have any idea how much she makes um monthly there? I believe in the last hearing she said 30,000 a year. I don't know what her monthly is.

[00:01:52]Okay. Um I'm sorry. Going back to the health insurance, did that include dental insurance? Yes, ma'am. Okay.

[00:02:01]And [music] and then um do you have any other information about um rental properties that Miss um Patterson has?

[00:02:13]On our Great Cat here in Great County, it shows she still owns two uh 713 Sumner and I'd have to look here to tell you that little uh 717 E 16th.

[00:02:27]Okay.

[00:02:28]And um she was previously employed by him and I Enterprise. Um do you have any information about her current status?

[00:02:36]Uh on the on the internet, it shows that she's still listed as the sole owner.

[00:02:43]Okay.

[00:02:44]Okay. Um do you have anything else to add that I haven't asked you about?

[00:02:49]No, ma'am. I think I'm good.

[00:02:50]Okay. Uh your honor, I don't have any further questions of this witness.

[00:02:55]All right.

[00:02:56]Miss Patterson, do you have any questions you want to ask Miss Price Mr. Price? If you do, they just need to be in the form of a question right now.

[00:03:05]No, ma'am.

[00:03:06]All right.

[00:03:09]Miss Neil, you may call your next witness. Your honor, I'd like to call Miss Patterson.

[00:03:13]Miss Patterson, would you raise your right hand, please?

[00:03:17]Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony you're about to give should be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

[00:03:24]Yes, I do.

[00:03:25]Thank you, ma'am. All right. Go ahead, Miss Neil.

[00:03:28]Can you state your name for the record?

[00:03:30]Courtney Patterson.

[00:03:32]Okay. Um and um in 2017, you and uh Mr. Price entered a an order which set child support and medical support to zero, is that right?

[00:03:45]That's correct. Okay. Um has uh Mr. Price um sent documents um relating to the health care expenses to you?

[00:03:53]His wife has.

[00:03:55]Okay, and have you received those?

[00:03:57]Yes. Okay. Have you paid, um, for those expenses?

[00:04:03]I responded with a letter on December 10th, um, that says I've received a correspondence of medical bills. As I wish to fulfill my potential obligation, I must request that you provide the necessary documentation as as per our orders. In such that no insurance documentation has ever been provided, documentation of all insurance held and the coinciding schedule of benefits from 30 days after May 16th, 2017 judgment through the current policy are requested. Please furnish a true and correct copy of the health insurance policy or certification of a schedule of benefits. Also, all forms, receipts, bills, and statements reflecting the uninsured portion of health care expenses, as well as documentation from the insurance company of submitted and paid or denied claims from the submitted bills.

[00:04:47]And >> And I did not receive a response to that.

[00:04:50]Okay.

[00:04:51]And you haven't received any, um, insurance cards or anything since that time? No, I have I've received, um, I received a photo a text copy of an insurance card sometime in, um, I believe 2000 19.

[00:05:09]I would have to check my text. I'm not certain on when that was. It might have been 2020. Um, that's the only form of insurance I have been given was a a text copy of the card at a doctor's appointment for the children.

[00:05:21]Okay.

[00:05:22]And, um, as far as your current employment, um, can you, um, explain where you're currently employed?

[00:05:28]Hemphill Chamber of Commerce.

[00:05:30]Okay. And when did you begin that job?

[00:05:32]December 8th, I'm sorry, November 8th of 2021.

[00:05:37]And, um, are do you get paid salary?

[00:05:40]Yes, I'm on salary, $30,000 a year.

[00:05:43]Okay.

[00:05:44]Um, and so that equates to $2,500 per month. Um Do you um have any other income?

[00:05:53]I Mr. Price is correct. Those rental properties do say my name because it hasn't been transferred over. Um my parents purchased um my rental properties in December 2 um because the loans were called by the bank.

[00:06:07]Um I'm not sure why they're not reflecting on the gray card yet. Um but we do have formal documentation of those being purchased.

[00:06:15]Um as well as Him & I Enterprises. Um I was given this job at the Chamber of Commerce on November 4th of um 2021. I was offered the job and that day before accepting the job um I signed all of Him & I Enterprises over to my husband Mark Patterson. So there's no conflict of interest with the business.

[00:06:36]I've not received any income from Him & I Enterprises since July of 2021.

[00:06:41]Okay. And I I submitted that income information.

[00:06:45]Okay.

[00:06:46]Um and do you have any other income from any other sources?

[00:06:51]No, ma'am. Okay. And so the rental properties you're not receiving any type of income from those? No, it goes out to my parents who have the the notes on those.

[00:07:02]Okay. And and do they Do they um do you receive any of that money that they receive those >> it pays the notes that they have taken.

[00:07:13]Okay. And I believe I have I don't have them with me, but I have formal documentation of them.

[00:07:20]Okay. Purchase They filed those with the state.

[00:07:23]Okay.

[00:07:24]You you previously um were involved in Him & I Enterprise and you said that that ended in in July of 2021. Is that right?

[00:07:33]The company wasn't making enough money for me to take income after July. The last time I took income from that company was in July. Um I signed over all ownership of it when I took this job at the chamber in November.

[00:07:46]Okay. And um, what were you doing in that with Him & I Enterprise?

[00:07:51]I was the bookkeeper.

[00:07:53]Okay.

[00:07:54]And um, how much were you um, were you making a salary or um, how were you getting paid?

[00:08:01]Um, when I was able to take a paycheck, I took a paycheck. Um, wasn't consistent with the company.

[00:08:12]And how much were you making?

[00:08:13]How much were you typically making per month um, when you took income?

[00:08:19]Um, 3,000, I think.

[00:08:24]I'm not sure. I sent in my W-2s.

[00:08:32]Last year, I I took in uh, $48,000 last year.

[00:08:40]Okay. And um, And in 2020, um, how much um, did you take in from Him & I Enterprises?

[00:08:51]Um, I believe it was 96,000.

[00:08:54]Okay. And um, can you explain um, what changed between 2020 and 2021?

[00:09:02]Um, in 2020, we still had some of the COVID um, PPP money that was allowing us to keep employees and pay employees.

[00:09:15]Um, and in 2021, um, most of that ran out and bills were due and um, there's just not enough money coming in to continue paying me that kind of salary.

[00:09:29]Okay.

[00:09:30]Let me Your Honor, I don't have any further questions of this witness.

[00:09:34]What does Him & I do?

[00:09:37]Um, they're they were a pipeline construction company before Mr. Price started a competing company taking that contract. Um, they now are plant construction company.

[00:09:46]Okay.

[00:09:51]Anything else you want me to know?

[00:09:55]I think everything I I needed um, was in my documents that I sent.

[00:10:02]Okay, I didn't receive any documents.

[00:10:06]Your Honor, um, would you [clears throat] like me to submit those documents to your email? Yes, please.

[00:10:12]Okay. Mr. Patter- Mr. Price, did I hear you correctly say there are five people covered on your health insurance? Yes, sir. Or yes, ma'am, I'm sorry. Okay. My wife >> Pardon?

[00:10:24]>> I was just going to list I thought you wanted a list. I'm sorry. No, that's okay.

[00:10:28]>> [laughter] >> Ms. Patterson, do you have any health insurance available through the chamber?

[00:10:33]No, ma'am. Okay.

[00:10:51]Let's see if I've got those papers yet. Your Honor, I just uh, sent those documents.

[00:10:59]Could you Do you mind resending them to to S. Breeding?

[00:11:05]Oh, okay.

[00:11:07]At the same address? I've submitted those to her >> Thank you. You're welcome.

[00:11:13]Shelly, you should be getting another email.

[00:11:19]All right, anything anything else you want me to know?

[00:11:24]Does that conclude testimony, Ms. Neill?

[00:11:27]Uh, yes, Your Honor, the state rests.

[00:11:29]All right, what are you requesting, Ms. Neill?

[00:11:32]Um your honor, um based on her salary information, I'm showing um the guideline child support to be um $476 per month and then a step down to $381.

[00:11:44]And I think I believe the medical support, the 9% would be $250 per month and then a step down to $125 per month.

[00:11:52]Mr. Price, what do you think would be fair for me to do?

[00:11:56]I just whatever's fair. I mean, my problem is I'm out a lot of money on medical expenses that haven't been paid.

[00:12:03]I'm just trying to recruit some of that.

[00:12:08]Um I don't know what's fair, your honor. I just want to make sure that we're we're in the right lines, everything's showed and everything's proper. Does that make sense?

[00:12:20]Ms. Patterson, what do you What do you think would be fair for me to do?

[00:12:24]Um up until 2017, I was the primary caregiver of the children.

[00:12:30]Um and I was never recouped any of the the bills and often pay had to pay the doc his half of the doctor bills because they weren't paid. Um and the doctor's office can verify that.

[00:12:41]Um the majority of the um the bills that they sent me were to take my children to a counselor um that they also used to through their attorney to testify in court um with manipulated information.

[00:13:00]Um that is a hired witness. Um I've sent letters >> When was that court hearing?

[00:13:08]2017.

[00:13:10]Okay. Tell me about what's happened since 2017.

[00:13:14]Um they felt um that they that gave them an open um opening to that they had power with the judge and they have continued to you know, push that.

[00:13:30]They have continued taking the children to that woman that's like I said, that was the majority of the the bills they're trying to recoup. That was like $8,000 to this therapist that they used as a witness.

[00:13:41]Um she works with their attorney with all of his clients.

[00:13:46]Um they have they have taken my children. They have taken my company and they have taken my income because they can, because they are friends with the judge.

[00:14:04]And that's why if you can see, I don't know if you can see the the previous hearing when we had the mediation and Mr. Price said, "We'll take it to Vanderpool because he knows that he can take it to Vanderpool." And he was excited to take this to Vanderpool and aware that we would come to you. Ms. Patterson, I'm concerned only what with what's happened since the last order.

[00:14:22]Okay. All of that has happened since the last order. I'm not sure.

[00:14:26]I apologize. I'm not sure I understand what you're asking. What would you like from me?

[00:14:30]>> Okay.

[00:14:31]>> [clears throat] >> All right.

[00:14:34]My income has has decreased substantially um due to Mr. Price's intentional attack on my income.

[00:14:43]Um and for some reason he knows he he he took on my income but is still not willing to admit that in court that I the income is not there anymore because of that.

[00:14:58]>> [snorts] >> All right. Based on the testimony and evidence before me then, uh I am ordering Ms. Patterson to pay Mr. Price child support of $468 per month dropping then down to 374 once the oldest child emancipates.

[00:15:17]That's based on your your salary at the chamber office.

[00:15:21]Uh I'm ordering Ms. Patterson to pay Mr. Price, two eight $280 per month for health insurance as well as half of any medical bills not covered by by the insurance.

[00:15:42]I'm not going to address the medical bills. Those haven't been paid for. Mr. Price, if you want reimbursement for medicals, you have to look at your last order or and request the AG's office to do a special pleading for for the medical reimbursement. We'll clear it up from now on out. Everything is half and half.

[00:16:05]Yes, ma'am. You need to send from now on out, you'll send Ms. Patterson the bills or copies of the bills on a regular basis and she'll have 30 days then to to reimburse her half.

[00:16:21]I'm going to waive court costs.

[00:16:23]Thank you.

[00:16:24]Is there any other relief I have not addressed, Ms. Ms. Neal?

[00:16:28]No, Your Honor. I believe that's it.

[00:16:29]Thank you.

[00:16:31]All right, and I don't have a drop down on the health insurance since it's actually costing $280 per child.

[00:16:40]Yes, Your Honor. Either of you gets access to some other kind of health insurance, it would be beneficial to everybody, I'm sure, to get a lower cost in policy in effect. Uh, so if you do find one that you want to enroll the children on, what you'll need to do it that's that costs less is let the AG's office know and they'll file to modify the the health insurance and and order somebody to pay it as well as as correct the amounts of of the of for the cost.

[00:17:18]Yes, ma'am. All right.

[00:17:21]Miss Neil is going to prepare that order for my signature. I'll sign off on it.

[00:17:26]There is a period of of three business days during which anybody can request a new hearing.

[00:17:32]If you request a new hearing, uh you get a hearing in front of Judge Vanderpool and he would start over and make his own decision.

[00:17:40]Uh but if nobody does that, this order starts to become final and you should get a copy by email or by regular mail within at least 2 weeks. And Mr. Price, you need to give Ms. Patterson a copy of the card so she's got the children, she can use it.

[00:17:58]If there were to be an emergency, they could not get help get and even admitted to a hospital. So, get her a copy of the card and also um a copy of the policy or or an idea of the policy if there are doctors that uh are like it's a uh preferred medical or something like that so she will know who accepts this insurance. It's available through your HR.

[00:18:29]Okay?

[00:18:30]>> Thank you.

[00:18:31]All right. Good luck to you all. Thank you both. Thank you. Thank you, Your Honor.

[00:18:37]And this is the exact moment where the hearing shifts from emotional accusations back to legal reality.

[00:18:43]Notice how the judge repeatedly tries to narrow the focus to one thing.

[00:18:47]Current income, current custody arrangements, and verifiable expenses.

[00:18:52]Family court judges hear frustration, resentment, and past grievances all the time.

[00:18:57]But rulings usually come down to documentation and financial evidence, not personal beliefs about favoritism or unfair treatment. The court clearly recognized that the children are primarily living with Mr. Price right now and that alone dramatically changes the child support calculation. At the same time, the judge also acknowledges there's been confusion over insurance documentation and unpaid medical expenses, which is why she orders a cleaner process moving forward instead of retroactively sorting out every disputed bill today. What makes this case especially intense is that both sides believe they carried the financial burden at different points in the children's lives. One side says they've been abandoned with the bills, while the other says their income collapsed and they were unfairly targeted. But in the end, family court isn't about winning emotional arguments. It's about creating a workable structure for the children going forward. So, what do you think?

[00:19:52]Did the judge make the right call by focusing strictly on current finances and custody?

[00:19:57]Or should the court have dug deeper into the older allegations and disputed therapy expenses? Let us know in the comments below. And if you found this case as shocking as we did, make sure to hit that like button, share your thoughts in the comments, and don't forget to subscribe for more jaw-dropping courtroom breakdowns.