Children become the priority in any divorce case or family law dispute. The court will always try to act in a way that benefits the children and keeps them happy and healthy, just as they deserve. To this end, you should expect the court to make a child support order, and the parent ordered to pay is expected to do so, exactly to the letter of the order.
An ex-spouse or ex-partner who does not follow child support orders puts a child’s wellbeing in jeopardy. The behavior, whether intentional or not, should not be tolerated. If your ex is failing to pay child support, then you should explore ways to make the court enforce the child support order.
Florida Child Support Enforcement Options
When your ex-spouse is not giving you child support payments as ordered, the Florida legal system prefers you first try to talk with them about the problem. This is not always an option, though, as some exes become intentionally uncommunicative. The option then becomes to turn to a family lawyer and the court to learn how to file a motion in pursuit of your owed payments.
Florida courts can use a variety of means to enforce child support payments, including:
- Ordering wage garnishments on the payer’s regular paychecks.
- Intercepting tax refunds or lottery winnings.
- Putting liens on vehicles or real estate property.
- Instructing the Florida DMV to revoke a driver’s license until payment is made.
- Suspending professional licenses and certifications.
- Blocking international travel by revoking passport privileges.
A judge can even hold the nonpaying parent in contempt of court for denying the court’s preexisting order. Someone in contempt of court can face jail time and fines
When Should You Use Court Enforcement?
Deciding to pursue court-issued enforcements of child support orders is not an easy decision to reach, especially if you have hesitation to add more contention to your relationship with your ex-spouse. Before you move too far ahead, speak with an Ocala family lawyer from Ami L. DiLorenzo, P.A. about your options. During a consultation with our highly experienced legal team, we can discuss your situation and help you decide how to continue.
Call (352) 437-2200 or contact us online today to schedule a meeting.