Child support is regarded as one of the most important financial obligations in the State of California. As such, failure to comply with a child support order can have serious consequences that every divorced spouse and parent should try to avoid.
How California Penalizes Parents Who Don’t Pay Child Support
Most commonly, if your case is being enforced by the Department of Child Support Services, your driver’s license and professional licenses can be suspended after 30 days have passed without a payment being made. Additionally, the federal government can suspend your passport, interfering with your ability to travel out of the country, once you incur a balance of $2,500 or more in child support arrears. The suspension of your passport will usually remain in effect until your balance is back at zero dollars, i.e. all late or missing child support payments are made.
Finally, you could be charged with contempt of court for violating an order to pay child support. The individual or agency alleging contempt simply has to prove that there was a child support order, that you knew about the order, and that you failed to comply. A contempt charge is must be taken seriously because it is quasi-criminal in nature, which means there is a potential that you may have to serve time in jail if you don’t handle the situation correctly. Defending a contempt charge can be complicated since you are afforded only certain rights as a criminal defendant.
Legal Help for Parents in Child Support Disputes
If you are a parent who is entitled to receive child support, the attorneys at Chung & Ignacio in Rancho Cucamonga are proficient in assisting you collect what is owed to you and your child. Our vast knowledge of child support issues and child support collections can be the foundation of your case and valuable assets as things progress.
Conversely, if you are an obligor (the person ordered to pay support) and you are in a situation that has affected your ability to pay child support, our attorneys can assist you in modifying your child support order. We can also defend you if you have been held in contempt of court already. Our attorneys have defended thousands of contempt actions and we are the firm appointed by the County of San Bernardino Superior Court to defend parties in contempt cases that are unable to afford an attorney.
Whether you are entitled to receive child support or are obligated to pay child support, it is in your best interest to seek legal representation as soon as possible to avoid as many legal consequences as possible.
Call us at (909) 726-7112 or contact us online to learn more about our legal services.