Contempt of Court in Family Law & Divorce
Going through a divorce is almost always a very stressful, emotional experience. Your life undoubtedly has changed significantly. When one spouse does not comply with court orders, it adds a tremendous layer of distress to the whole situation. If your former spouse has violated or refuses to follow court orders, they can be held in contempt and be subjected to various punishments.
Examples of contempt in family and divorce cases include:
- A parent refusing to allow you to see your children
- A parent not returning the child after visitation is over
- A parent refusing a financial obligations for a child, such as co-pays, medical expenses, or court-ordered child support
- A spouse refusing to pay alimony
- A spouse selling an asset, such as a car, that was awarded by the court to you
- A spouse not delivering an asset ordered to you by the court
If you are the victim of a noncompliant former spouse or partner, our firm's attorneys can help you in pursuing legal action to get compliance.
Have You Been Charged with Contempt?
If you are the person who is charged with contempt, there can be circumstances where the charge is not valid or enforceable, due to such situations as the decree itself containing errors, or it was worded in such a way that you did not understand it, or other mitigating circumstances. With decades of experience, the Mathur Law Offices, P.C. is equipped with the skills and legal knowledge to help.
Texas Penalties & Consequences of Contempt
A party who refuses to follow court orders can be held in contempt and face penalties. In addition, a judge can also order additional punishments.
Some consequences of contempt can include:
- A judge can order a fine, award attorney's fees, or other penalties.
- A judge can order an individual to get counseling or complete parenting classes.
- A judge can order seizure of property.
- A judge can order makeup visitation when one parent did not allow the other to visit the child. In this case, the court can order the offending parent to allow for the missed visitations, or the parent could lose primary custody.
- A judge can suspend a spouse's driver's license or any professional license. This alone can sometimes stop the violation(s) altogether, as the person could not work without a license.
- A judge can garnish wages and place liens against bank accounts.
To avoid falling into contempt, you must obtain the permission of the court when you wish to make any type of changes to the divorce decree, including child custody or child visitation, even if the two individuals involved agree upon the changes. Otherwise, one or both individuals can be found in contempt.
How the Mathur Law Offices, P.C., Can Help You
If you think that your former spouse or partner is in violation of your divorce decree, child support or child custody, or if you have been charged with violating judgments set out by the courts, it is advised that you contact a divorce attorney in Dallas to look into the matter. We can review the decree to determine if the provisions in it are enforceable. We have considerable experience in successfully handling these matters, and we are very familiar with resolving them efficiently and thoroughly.
Contact the Mathur Law Offices, P.C. to learn more about your case.