Houston Divorce Decree Enforcement Attorneys
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Divorce Decree Enforcement Lawyers
In an ideal world, both parties follow through on their promises and move forward into their new lives following a divorce. However, that is not always how it goes.
Sometimes an order must be enforced
Sometimes, in Texas, one of the spouses refuses to follow the divorce decree. They might not follow the child support order, the child custody order, the payment of debts, or fail to divide a retirement account as decreed. The other spouse usually needs to engage a family law firm and take their former spouse back to court in these situations.
Situations where you may need enforcement
Sometimes, one spouse must pay off a debt incurred during the marriage. If they fail to do so, the other spouse can find them in contempt of court. Usually, they will have a second chance to follow the order and could then be punished with jail time if they fail to. Sometimes, the court can even take custody of one party’s property and sell that property to give the proceeds to the other party. As Houston family law attorneys, we can help you get the assets you are entitled to in Houston or Tomball.
Situations that involve children are different from those involving property. Of course, you have your children’s best interests at heart and don’t want to traumatize them or make their lives more stressful. It’s best for children if their parents canco-parent amicably, but sometimes one parent makes that impossible by refusing to follow court-ordered custody orders.
If that happens, you might need to work with a child support lawyer in Houston to have your child custody order enforced. First, it’s essential that you have a legally binding custody order – not simply a verbal agreement between yourself and your co-parent.
If your ex cuts off court-ordered visitation, your family law lawyer scan help. First, try working directly with your ex to resolve the issue in mediation. If that doesn’t work, file a court action for contempt of court with the help of family law attorneys. The judge might grant make-up visits or adjust the custody order if the other parent is preventing visitation.
If you are the custodial parent and your ex is refusing to pay child support, that is also an issue that you can take up in court with the help of your Houston enforcement lawyer. Legally, child support and visitation are not tied, so do not limit your ex’s visitation to their children in response to a lack of child support. Instead, work with a Houston child support enforcement lawyer to receive the support and past support your children are entitled to. Your ex’s wages could be garnished so that the money goes directly to your account without passing through them first. A Houston family law firm can tell you about the options available to you.
Legal Guidance and Representation by Eaton Family Law
When a divorce decree is not being followed, you must take the proper legal steps to ensure everything goes correctly. Call the family law lawyers at Eaton for help with mediation or to take your ex-spouse to court to ensure the divorce decree is followed.
