Doing the right thing has got me no where, and I dont know what to do

(Michigan)

I am 36 years old and in major debt because the courts in california think that my ex-wife needs it all. I was in the military when my child support was ordered. Every month the $1200.00 was taken from my check and it left me with $300.00 to live off of for the month because they took my BAH in to effect of my income when all that money was for is to pay my rent because they did not have room for me on post. I knew that after my tour of iraq I would be getting out of the military. I came home and got a new job making not even half of what I was making in the military. I contacted the Sacramento County Department of Child Support Services they said that I could not change anything for eight weeks. I was like OK well I am making $1000.00 a month, not even enough to cover down what my normal monthly payment would be and if I sent it all I would not be able to live. SO I sent $250.00 for the month and the same the next month.

When I finally recived my Court date I was told that I would need to get another job or have to have 2 jobs and that my new wife and child more or less did not matter because I will take care of my first family first! I am shocked that in the year 2010 there is still "your first family" what was that. I got my trucking licence and still did not make enough, they did not even take the full amount directly out of my paycheck because it was not enough. Yet the court would not lower my amount. The interest that they are charging me is unreal, and no matter what I do I can not seem to get ahead.

I do understand that I have to take care of my children, I just do not want to have to live in a cardboard box to take care of them. I do not live in CA, so I am soppost to get my children durring the summer, And to top it off when ever I try to see my children there is always some reason why I can't....they are with her dad, they have sports, she has even gone as far as putting them in summer school, and my children get stright A's. I am at my wit end I have no clue what to do, my kids are getting older and I have no relationship with them, they will not even take my calls anymore even though they are court ordered.