Early Doucet loses appeal to lower child support

More bad news for St. Martinville’s Early Doucet. The Third Circuit Court of Appeal here recently upheld a state district judge’s 2012 ruling that Doucet pay $7,500 a month in child support for the 9-year-old son he had with former girlfriend Sherrell Fontenette.
Doucet was released by the Seattle Seahawks in August, apparently because of lingering injuries he suffered in during the 2012 season with the Arizona Cardinals, who let him go after five years with the team.
According to the appeals court decision, Doucet agreed to monthly child support of $3,000 in 2008 after he was drafted by the Cardinals at a salary of $54,333 a month. When he signed a new contract with Arizona in 2012 and his salary went to $166,667 a month, Fontenette filed a motion for an increase in child support.
Initially set at $8,250 a month by a hearing officer, it was reduced to $7,500 by 16th Judicial District Judge Charles Porter.
Doucet appealed but Porter’s ruling was upheld by the three-judge appeals panel of Jimmie C. Peters, Elizabeth A. Pickett, and J. David Painter.
Doucet, a standout at LSU and St. Martinville Senior High, was released by Seattle due to a “failure to disclose physical condition,” according to the sports press there.
The wide receiver reportedly struggled with a rib injury and concussion problems his last season with Arizona.
He was released by the Seahawks just five days after signing a one-year contract with a base salary of $715,000, the minimum for a player with four to six seasons under his belt.