What can you do if someone isn’t following a custody order?

Family Law
1

Hey all, has anyone dealt with someone not following a custody order? Like, the other parent just isn’t doing what the court said. What should I do? Any advice?

2

Yeah, I’ve had this happen. You can file a motion for contempt, which basically brings them back to court for not following the order.

3

Lee said:
Yeah, I’ve had this happen. You can file a motion for contempt, which basically brings them back to court for not following the order.

Motion for contempt? What’s that exactly?

4

@Kendall
It’s when you tell the court that they aren’t sticking to the custody order. They can get in trouble for it, like fines or even losing custody.

5

In my case, the other parent wasn’t showing up for visits. I kept track of all the missed times and dates. The court was able to take action after that.

6

Sam said:
In my case, the other parent wasn’t showing up for visits. I kept track of all the missed times and dates. The court was able to take action after that.

That sounds so frustrating! How did the court respond when you filed?

7

@Gray
They took it pretty seriously, actually. The other parent had to pay my legal fees and got less visitation time afterward.

8

FYI, it’s really important to keep track of every time they don’t follow the order. The court will want evidence, like dates and what exactly happened.

9

Logan said:
FYI, it’s really important to keep track of every time they don’t follow the order. The court will want evidence, like dates and what exactly happened.

Good tip. I didn’t even think about documenting everything. I just get mad and don’t write anything down.

10

@Auden
Lol, I get that. But yeah, writing it all down will help in court, trust me.

11

If they’re violating the order, they might have to pay for your lawyer’s fees too. Happened to me, and it was such a relief not to cover all the legal costs myself.

12

Weston said:
If they’re violating the order, they might have to pay for your lawyer’s fees too. Happened to me, and it was such a relief not to cover all the legal costs myself.

Wow, I didn’t know that was a thing. Definitely good to know!

13

Just don’t try to take matters into your own hands. The last thing you want is for them to accuse you of breaking the law. Stick to the legal process.

14

colo said:
Just don’t try to take matters into your own hands. The last thing you want is for them to accuse you of breaking the law. Stick to the legal process.

For sure. I was tempted to confront the other parent directly but knew it could backfire.