Topline
Hunter Biden has settled his child support case with an Arkansas woman that he fathered a 4-year-old child with while in the throes of his drug addiction—putting an end to another legal dispute less than two weeks after the president’s son agreed to take a plea deal in a separate federal case against him.
US President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden watch as Hunter’s son, Beau Biden, is greeted before … [+]
Key Facts
Biden was seeking to reduce his $20,000 monthly child support payments to Lunden Roberts, who gave birth to his daughter Navy Joan in 2019.
It’s unclear what Biden’s monthly payments now amount to, but he did agree to give the child some of his paintings, a hobby he took on after recovering from an alcohol and drug addiction, according to the agreement filed Thursday in an Arkansas circuit court.
Roberts also withdrew her bid to have the child’s last name changed to “Biden.”
The case closes out another legal headache for Biden as his father begins his 2024 re-election campaign: The younger Biden last week agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor federal tax evasion charges and enter a diversion program for a separate gun charge stemming from the Justice Department’s long-running investigation into his business practices.
Key Background
Roberts initially filed the paternity suit in 2019 after Biden refused to acknowledge the child, and a paternity test proved he was the father, though he has yet to publicly acknowledge the girl., The case was reopened in September when Biden asked for a reduction in his monthly payments, citing a “substantial material change in (his) financial circumstances.” Roberts was represented by attorneys Clint and Jennifer Lancasater, who are self-described “active Republicans” and part of the team that attempted to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 win in Wisconsin. As part of the dispute, they requested a trove of Biden’s financial records, including details about his art sales—documents that overlap with the House Oversight Committee’s many investigations into Hunter Biden and whether his father influenced his business dealings.
Surprising Fact
Roberts testified before the grand jury in the Justice Department’s case against Hunter Biden and also complied with a subpoena for records detailing his finances. The Justice Department announced last week it had reached an agreement with Biden requiring him to plead guilty for failing to file taxes in 2017 and 2018, charges prosecutors are expected to recommend probation for. Biden will also enter a diversion program to avoid a felony charge for purchasing a gun while he was addicted to drugs.
Further Reading
Hunter Biden Paternity Case: Arkansas Judge Orders President’s Son To Answer Questions About Finances (Forbes)
Did Hunter Biden Get Off Easy? Republicans Think So—Here’s What Legal Experts Say (Forbes)
Hunter Biden Will Plead Guilty On Tax Charges—Avoid Gun Charge (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/06/29/hunter-biden-will-give-estranged-daughter-some-of-his-paintings-in-child-support-settlement/