The answer might be that she was having a tough enough time as it was concerning the contact that she didn't want to rock the boat any further with her ex. or she knew she was going to get the new job so expected to be able to pay, but couldn't when it came to it because of unforseen circumstances.
Going to court to have a "Motion to reduce support" takes time and effort, and maybe a judge would have decided that as she was about to take up this great new job there was no point in making the reduction. There could be any number of possible reasons why she didn't go to the d*** court, but whatever they are I wouldn't be making any suggestions that Gecko should have done anything differently, with the exception of the following things perhaps:-
Any child testifying against their parent for such trivial matters as having their mobile telephone removed from them wants the riot act read to them. Any judge not support said mother or father reading the riot act to their child wants the sack.
Your daughter may have alot between her ears, but the whole world gets mixed up by you "child's best interests" Walla's - she needs putting straight and damn quick.
Gecko can't be expected to live her life as though she has the benefit of hindsight the whole time (or any of the time of course) none of us can do that - what happens on the days when we just don't feel like doing whatever it is we should have done if we had a life coach and/or a lawyer constantly advising us?
I would take your ex. to task in a very big way Gecko, and wouldn't know where to stop with him. If he had an ounce of decency in his body he would have chosen to forget all this nonesense, but he obviously hasn't. If it would mean anything I'd apologise for all the trouble he's caused you on behalf of the male sex, but it wouldn't of course.
I'm moving closer to writing my definitive letter to a Bishop, and maybe I'll throw in a few details of how matters can go from bad to worse for people like yourself in this world. You did virtually nothing wrong in my eyes, and have paid a heavy price - jail indeed for such ridiculously petty matters - no way!
I hope you feel a little better for some support, and it was a wonderful thing your eldest child did too. I'm getting older and more cynical by the day, but want to see good people like yourself have a better deal that this.
All the best, Graham