ENFORCEMENT AND CONTEMPT OF CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS
In Texas, people regularly go to jail and pay fines for violating court orders. The harshest punishment is meted out for violating a court order to pay child support, or for violating an order to surrender children for the other person’s visitation and possession time, or failure to provide health insurance for a child or pay their share of medical expenses.
Also, persons who interfere with possession of a child may be sued for money damages for doing so.
In Texas, the violation of family law court orders is handled through what is known as “Enforcement and Contempt” actions. They are civil suits that proceed by law that has criminal-like consequences. These actions are what is known as qusai- criminal. In other words, part civil and part criminal.
The Texas Family Law Code sets out a procedure for punishing people who violate its family court orders and provides an opportunity for defending against any such accusations.
If you have been served papers accusing you of violating a court order, you might have read in those papers where the other party requests you go to jail for 180 days (6 months) for each violation. If you are the victim of someone who violated the court order, you have the right to file such violations against them.
