Divorces can be particularly stressful when there are children involved, so it’s important that both parents keep their best interests in mind. That being said, it is not uncommon for a parent who does not have primary custody of his or her child to fail to provide mandated child support payments. When this happens, the best course of action is always to hire an experienced Child Support Lawyer in Rochester MN.
Understanding Legal Options
If one parent refuses to pay child support that is due to his or her ex, there are certain legal steps that can be taken to ensure that the child is still receiving the support he or she needs. These options may include wage garnishment orders, the filing of contempt of court proceedings, intercepting tax refunds, entering liens against vehicles or real estate, or even placing a hold on the responsible spouse’s passport. Read on to find out more about a few of these options below.
Wage Garnishment
This is one of the most common ways of enforcing child support payments. The garnishment or income withholding order can be sent directly to the responsible parent’s employer, making it extremely difficult for him or her to avoid making payments as required by law. A Child Support Lawyer in Rochester MN can help his or her client determine where the parent responsible for making payments is working and file the appropriate paperwork to implement a court order.
Heading Back to Court
It’s often possible to file a civil contempt citation against those who fail to pay child support. What this does is essentially ask the court to enforce its order, possibly resulting in sanctions against the responsible parent or even incarceration. In some cases, it may even be possible to file criminal charges for non-payment.
Get Help Today
While it is not technically required by law that parents seek the help of a lawyer in filing paperwork to ensure that their exes make their child support payments on time, it can be extremely helpful for them to have a legal professional on their side. After all, the paperwork and court proceedings can be quite complex for those who have no experience in the legal field. Visit the Site to learn about one local law office that can help today.
