Frisco Divorce Lawyer

Enforcing Child Support Payments

When parents divorce, they have more than just their own division of assets to worry about. People with children also have to devise plans for custody, visitation, and child support, among other things. Once this is figured out, divorced parents have to trust each other to follow the plan. However, though, this may not always work out as planned.

Sometimes, one parent may refuse to pay the child support payments ordered by the court. This is called contempt of court. Basically, contempt of court occurs when a person flouts a court's ruling. In the case of child support, this may be called civil contempt or indirect contempt because it is not in the judge's or court's immediate presence.

In 2001 alone, there was an estimated $34.9 billion in unpaid child support. Later, only about 62% of this amount was repaid to the custodial parent. This is because enforcing child support upon someone who has committed contempt of court can be difficult.

Enforcement Methods for Missed Child Support

If a custodial parent does not receive the planned amount of child support, if any, he or she can talk to the state's child support enforcement agency for help. When someone refuses to pay child support and acts in contempt of court, the court itself has several options to enforce its order. For example, the court can revoke the individual's driver’s license, place them in jail, or even require weekly court appearances until the amount is paid in full.

In Texas, the child support enforcement agency is under the Office of the Attorney General. However, when a parent asks for enforcement, they may still be asked to fill out court documents as well as make a court appearance.

Contact Us

For help in navigating child support enforcement paperwork, you should speak with an experienced family law attorney. Contact the Frisco family lawyers of Alexander & Associates today at 972-420-6570.