Enforcement

In certain circumstances, individuals may not pay their support orders, and child support or spousal support arrears may accrue. It is critical that each parent understands their responsibilities in either receiving or paying support. While a modification of support can be filed with the court, enforcement proceedings can also be used to obtain past-due support.

There are several ways child support orders can be enforced, which include the following:

Motion for Contempt– When one parent fails to meet the requirements set by the previous court order, the other party may file a Motion for Contempt in the county of the original court order.

Garnishment– If the non-paying parent’s place of employment is known, garnishment can be a faster and less expensive way to collect support. Through wage garnishment, an employer is required to withhold the earnings of the non-paying parent to repay child support or alimony.

Automatic wage deduction – Similar to wage garnishment, automatic wage deduction allows the non-custodial parent to have the required child or spousal support funds automatically taken out of his or her wages.