Enforcing Parental Responsibility to Pay Child Support

Enforcing Parental Responsibility to Pay Child Support
If a parent does not obey a support order, he or she may be found in contempt of court. A contempt action may be filed against the non-custodial parent who fails to make support payments or does not maintain the required medical insurance. Non-custodial parents found in contempt of court may be fined, sentenced to jail or both. The judge may order the non-custodial parent who is unable to pay to enroll in the Fatherhood Program. In addition, the non-custodial parent is still obligated to pay the full amount of past-due support. The child support order may also be enforced through:
• Withholding child support from paychecks, unemployment or weekly worker's compensation benefits.
• Intercepting federal and/or state income tax refunds.
• Reporting parents owing $7,500 or more in child support payments to credit bureaus.
• Suspending or revoking driver's, professional or occupational licenses for failure to pay child support.
• Reviewing and changing child support orders periodically.
• Intercepting lottery winnings of more than $5,000.
• Filing contempt of court actions, which may result in a jail sentence if the non-custodial parent is found in contempt of court.
• Filing liens to seize matched bank accounts, lump sum worker's compensation settlements and real or personal property.
• Denying, suspending or revoking the passport of someone who owes more than $5,000 in child support.