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Celebrity Justice
Ex to "Scrubs" Star: Here's Why You're Dr. Cox

Posted Jan 17th 2008 6:26PM by TMZ Staff

TMZ has learned, a "Scrubs" star has scrubbed his child support obligation because of the WGA strike.

John C. McGinley, who plays Dr. Cox on "Scrubs," was paying his ex-wife, Lauren Lambert, $9,000 a month in child support since their 2001 divorce. McGinley, whose 10-year-old son (with Lambert) has Down syndrome, has been praised for advocating Down syndrome research. But we've learned McGinley has told Lambert he has decided to cut his child support payments in half because of the writer's strike. Sources say he's told her it's "not fair" for him to pay his full obligation anymore because his show is not in production.

We're told Lambert is incensed, especially because McGinley, who is remarried with a child on the way, can afford "a big house in Malibu."

Sources say McGinley is supposed to pay half his monthly child support on the first of each month and the other half on the 15th. McGinley paid half on January 1 but paid nothing on the 15th and doesn't plan on it. Sources say Lambert may ask the judge to hold her ex in contempt.

McGinley's lawyer, Lynn Soodik, tells TMZ, "He's following the court order which allows him to reduce support if the show isn't being shot." But we've learned the court agreement states McGinley can reduce support only after "the final episode." The final episode is scheduled for the end of this season, so the fat lady hasn't sung.



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106. This guy is great on that sitcom. He appears to be an honest man outside the studio, who HONESTLY loves his kid. Leave him alone- that kid probably has everything he needs plus more. I'm sure John is thrilled his finances are all over the internet.

Posted at 12:03PM on Jan 18th 2008 by GreatActor,Yup

107. child support is for the child, not to pay her mortgage, if she wants to pay her mortgage, she is supposed to use money from her job.

Actually, child suppport can be used for rent, mortgage, groceries, etc, because it's necessary for the health and welfare of the child. She needs a new car to get to work? Guess what...it counts as income.

Each parent has to fill out financial declarations, and it doesn't matter if she's remarried, because under the guise of the law, her new hubby isn't respnsible for the child--only the parents are. So her new hubby could be Warren Buffet or Bill Gates, but her child support is based on the income of the child's father. If McGinley's income has been affected by the strike, then he needs to fill out a new financial statement and file it with the court, along with an Order to Show Cause for a new hearing. Each parent has the right to do this every three years.

And because of the strike, this scenario is happening all over Los Angeles, so let's stop singeling one person out, okay? If he gets behind on the child support, he'll have to continue paying it, with penalites and interest, until his obligation is met. Garnishment only comes into play when he gets several months behind.

Lay off people...it doesn't matter what it's like where you live. CA law pertains here.

Posted at 1:20PM on Jan 18th 2008 by stressdgoddess

108. and one more thing...when he files his income tax this year, if he has a refund coming and he's behind on the child support, the check will go to her and not to him.

don't worry people! there are laws that protect this kid!

Posted at 1:24PM on Jan 18th 2008 by stressdgoddess

109. WHAT A CAD!!!!! Greedy bitch my ass! As a a mother of a child with down syndrome their daycare/education has to be at private school and costs so much $$$$! Also he has to have special transportation to and from his school which is on my dime. And special workers to help feed him etc. Its expensive enought o raise a child letr alone a child with a disability. Why doesnt he take on full responsibility of caring for his down syndrome son and see how he likes it!

Posted at 2:24PM on Jan 18th 2008 by Kim

110. Has anyone given thought to the fact that his son will likely need some form of care the rest of his life? Give the mother the benefit of the doubt and assume she's saving or investing some of the child support she receives for his future living expenses! No, it probably doesn't take all of $9000 to care for the child each month, but if child support is ordered until the boy is 18 and then stops, what does he live off? Yes, there are organizations that will assist the disabled in finding employment suited to their situation, there are companies that will hire people with Down Syndrome, but will he ever be able to afford to live on his own with the salary he is likely to earn? Do you think he'll become a financial advisor, a lawyer, a doctor when he grows up? No. Sorry if that's harsh, but he's not likely to be a high or even median income earner. If you've ever known any parents with a child who has DS, you'd be more understanding of what the mother is probably thinking. Who'll assist her son once the parents are gone? He may live to be in his 50s or 60s with all the medical advances - do you think his parents will be able to care for an adult child with DS? What the mother receives now can be put towards his future care, which is very possibly what she's doing.
To kiwigurl who said she can likely buy a Malibu mansion with $9k a month, what dream world do you live in? The average cost of a small home in a reasonably safe area of Los Angeles would be at least $600,000, and we're not talking beachfront property. Check out MLS.com sometime and see what I'm talking about. The posters who said she should move to the midwest where it's cheaper - how insensitive are you? I'm sure they have family and a support system in CA, how much stress do you want to put on the child to be uprooted from home, school, friends, doctors and especially his father, just to save some money? And to those who say the mother married him because she was a gold-digger. Do you know how long they were together? What, he's some huge movie star that she set her sights on? The kid is 10, they were married years ago, I'm sure they both had to support each other when they first started out. Why is it always "the woman is a gold-digger" if she's not an actor too? And where does it say she doesn't work? And to all you people complaining about raising your kids on $300/month support, if your spouse made a million dollars a year, i'm sure your award would have been higher too. It's based on the supporting parent's income. Get over it. He'll still be living in his mansion this time next year, I'm sure.

Posted at 2:38PM on Jan 18th 2008 by miss caliente

111. This doesn't make sense. He's allowed to do this?
My brother was going through a very hard time financially and couldn't afford the child support at the time, what did the courts say to him??
Go get 2 jobs if you have to.
But this guy gets his cut in half.

Nice.

Posted at 3:06PM on Jan 18th 2008 by Emily

112. She lives in CA. It costs a helluva lot to live there. We don't know what her financial situation is. The long and short of it is he has a court order. If 9000K was a problem, he should have fought it harder in the beginning. He can't just decided what he should pay. If he feels he needs an adjustment in what he pays, then he goes to court. He doesn't just up and decide one day to stop paying the full amount. Regardless of whether we consider it a lot, she could have been counting on that money to pay her own bills.

Posted at 3:58PM on Jan 18th 2008 by Crappola515

113. "... she could have been counting on that money to pay her own bills."

She probably was counting on it to pay HER OWN bills. Child support should be child support. If it's alimony, the court should at least be bold enough to call it that.

I realize that feminists are in a bind, because "equal" women aren't supported by men. So men continue to support women, it's just called something else.

Must be nice.

Posted at 5:38PM on Jan 18th 2008 by JG

114. And to think that a condom costs a lot less and using the hand, well...nothing.

Posted at 8:55PM on Jan 18th 2008 by The Phantom

115. I think that if this child has disabilities, then not only should the mother be getting child support, but also a disability check from the government-and that alone can equal up to 1200.00 a month-and i am sure like most single mothers out there, she is receiving other government benefits like a medical card for the doctors, food stamps, and all of that, so, she may not be hurting for money, but if he was any kind of man, and his new wife any kind of woman, then they should pay her a little more than half, but not the full because his income has cut down-yeah if it was the last show of the season-but at the time of the divorce decree i am sure that they were not planning on this stupid writers strike either-the man cannot help it if there is no work for him at this time. its like when my husband gets laid off at his factory, he cannot go back to work until whatever the problem is gets worked out and therefore he gets unemployment benefits, but he cannot help that he is laid off, someone in a nice big office decides that-i think that when it comes to these stars-things like this go on in america and round the world everyday-why are they any different because they are on tv and movies? i think that people just need to leave them all alone and let them deal with their lives-WOULD YOU WANT SOMEONE ALL UP IN YOUR BUSINESS 24/7 AND BLAST IT ALL OVER WHERE YOU LIVE?? I don't think that i would like that very much so how about we lay off people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 8:45PM on Jan 20th 2008 by Jd and Jades Mom

116. Can we say greed??? This woman lives in a beautiful house three blocks from the beach off Main in Santa Monica...Just had a huge saline pool put in her back yard...I happen to know that she has a law degree but chooses to stay at home.
Her son doesn't need her to be home with her twentyfour hours a day...her choice. I believe he is about 10 years old now and should be attending a school for kids with special needs while she gets back to work.
$9,000, a month?
Just my opinion

Posted at 11:20AM on Jan 19th 2008 by SG500

117. 1. The law is the law and that is all that matters in this case.
2. Until you've walked a mile in someone else's shoes, don't pass judgement.
3. Life is hard enough, there is no need to rip other people down.
4. Are you perfect? Who is?
5. For all you people who use this forum to reveal personal information about these people, shame on you...you are pathetic. Clean up your own life.

Posted at 1:11PM on Jan 19th 2008 by Jesse

118. PS-SG 500 - you are a seriously mean person who probably has no clue what it's like to have a child with special needs, or what it is like to go through law school, or be a single parent. Stop passing judgement on what is best for someone else's child or life.

Posted at 1:17PM on Jan 19th 2008 by jesse

119. SUPPORT YOUR CHILD.JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A NEW WIFE AND A NEW CHILD DOESN'T MEAN THE OLD CHILD SHOULD SUFFER.IF YOU CAN AFFORD A BIG HOUSE AND EVERYTHING SO YOU SHOULD CONTINUE YOUR CHILD SUPPORT.JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE NO LONGER WITH YOUR CHILD'S MOTHER DOESN'T LESSEN YOUR OBLIGATION TO THAT CHILD.OUR SOCIETY SHOULD START LOOKING AT PEOPLE THAT DON'T PAY THEIR SUPPORT AS CRIMINALS BECAUSE IT IS A CRIME WE BRING CHILDREN INTO THIS WORLD AND THEN CRY BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE OF THEM.BELIEVE ME THE MAJORITY OF WOMEN ARE NOT GETTING RICH ON CHILD SUPPORT.NOBODY CALLS K-FED A GOLD DIGGER FOR WANTING CHILD SUPPORT,BUT WOMEN ARE ACCUSED OF THIS.HIS CURRENT WIFE BETTER BE TAKING NOTES THAT HE IS STINGY WITH HIS CHILDREN IF THEY DO NOT LIVE WITH HIM.

Posted at 3:12PM on Jan 20th 2008 by patty

120. What a jerk! As soon as the ex loses a job, first thing they do is cut the child support to their first family. Hope his ass ends up in jail, loser. And I will never wath Scrubs again.

Posted at 11:45PM on Jan 20th 2008 by Babs

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