contempt of court

[ejmmolina]

What is the name of your state?texas
As of now we are recieving child support. But it never lasts very long. We have never filed any complaints to the court. But now we want to be prepared. If she stops paying again what step do we take to file contempt of court charges. Or is that even what we do?

 

[splcstr2001]

Treat her like any other NCP

If she is in arrearages (which is what it sounds like), you should file a contempt order.
Trust me, if the shoe were on the other foot, she would do it to you.
Texas can order a wage garnishment. This allows the C/S to be automatically deducted from her paycheck.
I know that most men are relucatnt to do this,(ego thing), but I would If I were you.
Just read a lot of the C/S questions and answers in the forum.................!!

 

[snodderly]

A less expensive route would be to call your local county children's services department. If you have a court ordered divorce decree stating how much support they will handle the entire thing for you.

Also, you can call your district attorney's office. My local office told me that, for a fee of $25 they would file the paper work and get a non-voluntary allotment started for me.
snodderly

 

[ejmmolina]

She is over 10,000 behind. They were never married, and we went through attorney general. When she works we do get payment, unless she is getting paid under the table. Which she has done a few times. She is 26 lives with her parents and hardly works. Does the attorney general handle the contempt charges as well. We know it is only a matter of time before she quits her job again.

 

[snodderly]

The only way the state can get money from her is if she is working. Have you ever talk to children's social services? You will get more informed answers from them.

I do know that a friend of mine was having similar problems with her ex. He would work and get paid under the table so the state couldn't track his income. They started using his SS# to track his bank accounts. As soon as they found an account with money in it they would freeze it and it would go to her for child support.

If the attorney general is dealing with it and knows where she is why has she not been taken back to court by them? They have the authority to issue a warrant and pick her up for non-support.
snodderly

 

[ejmmolina]

Your guess is as good as mine. For the past year now our case has been pending. And that we would be contacted if it went to court. My husband has called before but not with this question. Basically they told him when we get a date we will be notified. We have never pushed the contempt issue because we did not feel as though it would benefit the kids if she were in jail. But now she the kid sare in school and it takes a lot more money to buy clothes and supplies and she always says yeah ill help and then nothing. If she isnt seeing them and not helping in other ways it wouldnt make much difference. Maybe we are wrong. But we have been taking care of all their needs for 5 years with little help from her. (only a few hundred a year, no physical help at all)

 

[ejmmolina]

we dont know if she is making more money now or not. However we do know she does not have any "real" bills. Meaning rent, electric, car, or anything to that nature. Can we take her back and try for an increase? We agreed to a lower amount in 2002 because she was supporting herself. Now she is living with parents paying nothing but her cell phone bill. Would this be a good enough reason to take hre back for more money?