Grandmother forced to pay child support for grandchildren, she appealed to court

The Lod District Court overturned a family court decision that required a grandmother to pay 4,800 shekels per month in child support for her three grandchildren instead of her daughter. The judge ruled that the lower court failed to examine the father's financial capabilities, whose accounts showed 47,000 shekels in monthly deposits. The case has been returned to the family court.

The Lod District Court overturned a family court decision that required a grandmother to pay monthly child support of 4,800 shekels for her three grandchildren, replacing her daughter who had ceased contact with them. The judge ruled that the previous court erred by not considering the father's financial capabilities and the distribution of the burden between grandparents on both sides. The father, who has sole custody of the three children, filed a lawsuit against his former mother-in-law, claiming her financial situation allows her to pay child support, while he struggles to cover expenses. The family court in July 2026 granted his claim, noting the grandmother's monthly net income is 18,000 shekels. However, the district court found that the father reported an income of 6,800 shekels, but his bank accounts showed deposits of 47,000 shekels per month. The judge emphasized that the father's parents' assistance of 2,000 shekels per month does not justify his demand to receive a much larger sum from his former mother-in-law. The district court canceled the temporary child support order and returned the case to the family court for a fair decision based on all available data.