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Can students legally compel parents to pay their tuition? Apparently they can if there’s a contract. According to an article by Christian Nolan in the Connecticut Law Tribune:
Dana Soderberg… went to court to force her father to live up to a deal to pay her tuition at Southern Connecticut State University.
Dana came from what is perhaps an all-too-typical family situation. Her parents, Howard and Deborah Soderberg, of Stratford divorced in 2004. Upon splitting, they agreed that Howard, a property developer, would be responsible for the education costs for their three children, Dana, Amanda and Erik. Dana’s experience had evidently taught her that her father had a tendency not to follow through with paying for things. So she persuaded him the following year to enter into a written contract obligating him to pay her college tuition until she was 25, along with other school expenses such as textbooks, and her car insurance.
The student’s father apparently paid tuition through 2007. But he refused to pay tuition senior year. After Dana Soderberg graduated from college (she took about a $20,000 loan to pay for it) she sued her father for breach of contract in New Haven Superior Court.
She won. Judge William Hadden Jr. wrote that “The plaintiff has proven that she has performed all of her obligations as set forth …. The defendants have failed to prove the claims set forth in their special defenses and in Howard’s counterclaim.” Her father’s counterclaim said that she failed to apply for loans sincerely and didn’t submit receipts to her father. Total damages (loan, interest, and attorney fees) came to about $47,000.
Dana Soderberg is now working as a teacher. I’m predicting quite a legal career for the woman, if she decides to go that route. Let’s just hope she’s not expecting her father to pay for a wedding some day though. [Image via]
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stephen on July 03, 2010 4:44 PM:
Typical female, you get upset with a male for something and in revenge, go for his wallet.
A level-headed Individual on July 04, 2010 12:45 AM:
This Dana Soderberg needs to reevaluate her personal values. Suing her father for almost $50,000 is ridiculous. To think, after paying for her education up to her senior year, she has the nerve to turn around and sue her father. I would never dream of doing something so absurd, and personally i hate my father, yet i still have the decency to not do something so idiotic. Her father worked for his own money, which is a lesson she should learn herself. What i am even more disappointed, or should i say disgusted in is the judge's lack of responsibility to refute this case entirely. Raising a kid is costly enough and to have that kid turn around and sue their parents is dishonorable. Part of life's responsibilities include paying for your own debt. She should have been thankful her father paid for the majority of her education and in no way should a 'contract' have been entered to the extent of bringing it into a courtroom. This appears to revolve more around disdain for her dad with a foul smell of greed mixed in....
roberto soto on July 04, 2010 8:43 AM:
Simply disgusting! Cant even begin to touch because i will rant on & on & on. Karma is serious. Soon the world is gonna serve you a heaping mouthful of what you deserve, Brat!
person who knows howard on October 01, 2011 11:01 AM:
howard is the biggest moron i ever met, and i mean that, he will not pay anyone, it says he is a devoloper and he think he is, nobody and i mean nobody gets paid when they work on his jobs, the police even confiscated his car on a job for being unregistered and uninsured, the guy is a trainwreck and anyone around him is going to pay, believe me, just talk to him for ten minutes and you will walk away shaking your head or punch him square in the mouth whichever comes first, i wish he went to jail just to get him off the streets, he is by far the biggest a-hole i have ever met
person who knows dana on November 11, 2011 10:59 AM:
To "person who knows howard"
Do you know what job site and/or what town he is working in? I know Dana and she knows that he is working and is telling the courts that he in unemployed. If you could contact either her or her mother I know that they would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!!!