Pastor Jamal Bryant's $46,000 Monthly Income Scrutinized in Child Support Hearing

Court hearing regarding a child support modification. Here's a summary:

The Case: The hearing concerns a child support modification request from Miss Odom, the custodial parent, regarding a 2016 case (16-CV-1613) involving her and Pastor Jamal H Bryant . The case originally involved paternity and custody in Georgia, but Miss Latoya Odom has since moved to Texas. Pastor Jamal H Bryant was not present at the hearing.

The Issue: Miss Odom objects to the child support worksheet prepared by the Child Support Services (CSS) agency. Her objections stem from several factors:

Income Discrepancy: Miss Odom lost her job, significantly reducing her income. The CSS worksheet used outdated income information.
Child's Special Needs: Her son recently received an autism diagnosis, necessitating specialized education and care not reflected in the worksheet. This is a significant and newly discovered factor.
Father's Non-Compliance: Miss Odom alleges Pastor Jamal Bryant has not consistently provided life insurance and health insurance as previously ordered, and has engaged in harassing behavior that forced her to relocate multiple times.
Procedural Errors: She claims there were errors and miscommunications within the CSS agency regarding deadlines and information. Furthermore, she alleges previous legal representation was inadequate, resulting in an unfavorable consent order.
The Judge's Actions: The judge addresses several points raised:

Pastor Jamal H Bryant 's Absence: The judge expresses concern over Pastor Jamal H Bryant 's absence, noting that he received notice and his absence is not excused. Issuing a warrant for his arrest is considered.
Sealed Documents: The judge clarifies that while some financial documents were sealed in the original case, the case itself was not sealed. She explains the sealing was done to protect sensitive financial information, not to obscure the entire case.
Contempt Motions: The judge clarifies the record on several contempt motions filed by Miss Odom, noting she withdrew one related to attorney's fees and addressing another involving insurance and life insurance. She stresses that Pastor Jamal H Bryant remains responsible for paying the outstanding attorney's fees.

Special Needs: The judge agrees to address the child's special needs but emphasizes the need for updated documentation from the school and medical professionals.

Jurisdiction: The judge recognizes the complexities of the intergovernmental case and Miss Odom's desire to move the case to Texas. She leaves open the possibility of transferring jurisdiction in the future.

Outcome: The hearing ends with a temporary child support order based on Miss Odom's current income and the upward deviation from the original order, with an understanding that this amount is subject to further modification based on her future income and her son's special needs. The judge gives Miss Odom 120 days to file a new motion to modify the order to account for her son's autism diagnosis and related expenses. The possibility of transferring the case to Texas is also left open. The judge emphasizes the need for Miss Odom to provide updated documentation and seek legal counsel to properly present her case.


Pastor Jamal Harrison Bryant (born May 21, 1971) is an American minister, author and former political candidate. He is the senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church

Ministry
In April 2000, Pastor Jamal Bryant founded the Empowerment Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore, Maryland, and served for 18 years. In December 2018, he became pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia