Fort Lee Child Support Enforcement Lawyer
Once a Fort Lee judge enters an order for child support, each parent must comply with that order until the child reaches the age of majority. Although child support orders are mandatory, some parents still do not comply. In cases where a co-parent refuses to make the required child support payments, a skilled Fort Lee child support enforcement lawyer can help.
If your co-parent refuses to make child support payments mandated by court order, you have a wide range of legal options at your disposal. These enforcement options could pressure your co-parent to pay up or even seize the money from them directly. A Fort Lee child support lawyer can advise you on the options that are available to you.
The Power of a Demand
For many parents, it can seem like a dispute over child support will inevitably lead to costly, drawn-out litigation. It is helpful to note that in many cases, these disputes can be resolved amicably. This is especially the case with the help of a child support enforcement attorney in Fort Lee.
One of the first steps an attorney can take during a child support dispute is to send the non-compliant parent a demand letter. This demand letter spells out the extent of the financial deficiency and demands the parent get caught up on what they owe. The demand letter will usually tell the parent that the other parent will file for enforcement in court if they do not pay what they owe.
Correspondence from an attorney can carry more weight than a request from a co-parent. A demand letter could push a non-compliant parent into paying the delinquent amount in full without having to go to court.
Child Support Enforcement Options
If a parent fails or refuses to comply with a demand letter, there are a number of other enforcement options available. One of the best child support enforcement tools available to Fort Lee parents and their lawyers is wage garnishment.
Wage garnishment involves a court order that requires a parent’s employer to withhold a portion of their paycheck. Instead of paying those wages to the parent, they are held by the employer for the benefit of the child and paid over to the appropriate county’s Probation Division child support enforcement unit. These garnished wages are then used to pay down the delinquent child support obligation. The court typically requires parents to keep the Probation Division informed on their employment status so as to simplify the garnishment process. A parent is entitled to imposition of a wage garnishment if the paying parent is more than two payments behind on child support.
There are also a number of administrative steps the court could take against a parent that fails to comply with a child support order. A judge has the power to suspend passports or driving privileges, and they could also freeze business licenses as well. A judge could also allow for the interception of financial resources that were intended for the non-compliant parent. This includes the seizure of lottery winnings or tax refunds. In some cases, the court might even seize assets owned by the parent, liquidate them, and provide the proceeds to the custodial parent on behalf of the child. In the most serious cases, a judge has the option to find a parent in contempt and sentence them to time behind bars until they pay.
Learn How a Fort Lee Child Support Enforcement Attorney Can Help
Child support enforcement disputes are never easy. However, resolving these conflicts is possible if you have the right legal counsel by your side.
Let a Fort Lee child support enforcement lawyer review your case and discuss your options with you. Schedule a consultation with Moskowitz Law Group today to get started.
