When a couple goes to court and the judge makes a ruling on a family law matter, they are legally bound to abide by that court order. Unfortunately, there are often situations in which one party fails to follow the provisions of the order. Court orders can be made for factors such as child support, spousal maintenance, child custody, visitation, protection orders, and more. When one party doesn’t follow the court’s ruling, the other party may want to take action.
If one party wants to enforce the court’s order, they will have to request a violation petition, which is also called an enforcement petition. The court has to take a look at all of the factors that are surrounding the violations. One thing that the court will assess is whether there was a willful violation of the court order. If the court does find that there was a willful violation, the individual may face very serious consequences.
For example, if a party violates a child support order, the court may enlist the help of the Support Collection Unit. Some of the options that the Support Collection Unit may use in order to recover money on behalf of the victim include wage garnishing and ordering a lump sum payment. In some extreme situations, the court may even issue a warrant.
If you have questions about enforcing a court order, contact our firm today.
If you require experienced legal representation for any of your divorce and family law matters, contact the Law Offices of Mark S. Paige, P.C. today to schedule a consultation.
