TJ Tillman joined Sean Kelly on the Digital Social Hour to tell the story of a legal fight most people would have handed off to a lawyer: a child support case he chose to represent himself in for two years, with no legal training going in.
The conversation traces that fight from the moment TJ Tillman was retroactively charged child support dating back to when he was 12, through the research, setbacks, and ultimately the outcome that came from refusing to accept the case at face value.
About TJ Tillman
TJ Tillman is a tech professional whose entry into family law came out of necessity rather than career choice. Facing a child support case retroactively brought against him from the age of 12, he chose to represent himself rather than rely on outside legal counsel, spending two years building his own defense.
That experience turned into a deeper project for TJ Tillman, who has since written and spoken publicly about what he learned navigating paternity establishment, court procedure, and his own case from the inside. His story is centered on his personal legal outcome rather than broader commentary on the system itself.
What TJ Tillman and Sean Kelly Talked About
- How TJ Tillman prepared to represent himself in court with zero legal background
- What led to his case being retroactively opened over child support dating back to age 12
- How he researched voluntary acknowledgment of paternity as part of building his defense
- The two-year process it took him to bring his own case to a resolution
- What he learned about his legal rights that he did not know going into the case
- Why he chose to write a book chronicling his personal experience with the case
- Practical lessons he wants other parents facing similar situations to understand
- How the experience changed his understanding of his own rights and responsibilities
Why This Conversation Matters
TJ Tillman's conversation with Sean Kelly is a personal story of persistence: one person choosing to learn an unfamiliar legal process from scratch rather than accept a case as decided. For anyone navigating a difficult legal fight of their own, his account of self-representation offers a firsthand look at what that process actually requires.
▶ Watch the full episode on YouTube
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About Sean Kelly & the Digital Social Hour
Sean Kelly is an entrepreneur and the host of the Digital Social Hour, one of the fastest-growing interview podcasts in the world, where he sits down with entrepreneurs, athletes, creators, and cultural voices for candid, long-form conversations. The show draws over 100 million views a month across platforms. Explore more guest features on SeanKelly.io.
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