In the case of Rose v. Rose in 1986, the U.S Supreme Court ruled that a state court can order a disabled military veteran to pay child support from his Veterans' Administration (VA) disability benefits. The case involved Charles Alvis Rose Jr., an Army veteran who was receiving VA disability benefits and argued that federal law exempted these payments from being garnished for child support. His ex-wife, Linda Kay Rose, contended otherwise as she sought financial assistance for their minor son's care. The Tennessee courts sided with Linda and ordered Charles to use part of his VA benefits for child support payments. The Supreme Court upheld this decision on appeal by affirming that while federal laws protect certain types of income from legal claims, they do not grant absolute immunity against legitimate familial obligations such as child support or alimony. In its ruling, the court emphasized the importance of ensuring veterans fulfill their family responsibilities alongside protecting them financially post-service.

In the dissenting opinion for Rose v. Rose, Justice White disagreed with the majority's interpretation of federal law regarding veterans' disability benefits. He argued that these benefits are not designed solely to compensate for a veteran’s reduced earning capacity but also to provide reasonable and adequate compensation for disabled veterans and their families. Therefore, he contended that such benefits should be considered in determining child support obligations as they contribute to the overall financial resources of the veteran. Furthermore, Justice White expressed concern over potential negative impacts on state courts’ ability to enforce child support orders if such income was excluded from consideration.