Levi Johnston Ordered to Pay Bristol Palin Child Support

Palin babies are expensive.

Levi Johnston rode the coattails of the Palin family during their rise to fame, and now he needs to pay his dues. A judge has ordered the teenage PlayGirl cover model to pay Bristol Palin, the mother of his child, 14 months of back child support.

Bristol Palin and son Tripp will be getting just over a year's worth of child support payments from Johnston, after a judge ruled he can afford back payments. This will also be tied to future monthly payments, both of which have yet to be determined.

Palin is asking for $1,700 a month, plus a total of almost $20,000 for the 14 months the pair have been split.

Johnston and his lawyer argued (to no avail) that the former hockey player's salary is "erratic," because tv appearances and photo shoots for nudie mags don't really come that often.

Of course, Levi probably didn't help matters when he failed to show up for the hearing near the estranged couple's hometown of Wasilla, Alaska. Bristol was there however, and reports are she's happy with the outcome.