Child support isn’t there to punish one of the parents. It’s there to ensure the continued care of their children. Our family lawyers in La Mesa know, though, that all too often a parent can decide to no longer pay their child support. If that’s happening to you, you need to know that there options available to help you enforce the court order to pay child support and get the money that you and your children need.
What Happens if They Don’t Pay
Fortunately, there are a number of laws at both the state and national level designed to enforce the payment of child support. If someone doesn’t pay you the amount that was ordered by the courts, they could be facing punishments such as:
- Their driver’s license being suspended.
- Can’t use their passport to leave the country.
- Their paychecks being garnished.
- Tax refund checks being seized.
- Or even jail time.
What You Should Do If They Don’t Pay
If you are on friendly terms with your ex, you may want to reach out to them and check in on the payments. It could be an honest mistake; maybe they thought they set up the payments through their bank or forgot to mail a check. If it’s not an honest mistake or if you aren’t on friendly terms, it’s best to speak to our family lawyers in La Mesa. We will contact your ex on your behalf, contact the courts, and pursue legal action against your ex to make them pay the back child support that they owe you. You have many options, and non-payment of child support is taken very seriously at both the California and national levels. Get in touch with our team for a consultation on your rights when it comes to child support today by clicking on the button below.