Alimony is a regular court-ordered payment that’s often a byproduct of the divorce process. Yet just because someone is ordered to pay their spouse a monthly amount, not everyone follows these rulings, including some of those who have had legal council with a divorce lawyer. Citrus Park residents might be depending on this money to help them get back on their feet financially, and they are worried that they might not be able to make ends meet without this form of financial assistance. Luckily though, there are different ways to enforce a court ruling that a person must pay alimony or spousal support to their former partner.
Contempt of Court
In the situation where a spouse has refused or failed to pay the amount of money that had previously been established as part of the divorce process, a judge may find that person to be in contempt of court. A judge will order that spouse to pay the money that they owe to their former partner, as well as potentially adding additional fines on top of the payment. As is advised by most divorce lawyers, Citrus Park residents who depending on alimony should know that refusal to pay can be a reoccurring issue, and in these instances a court will fine that person more, but it can even lead to jail time in some circumstances.
Withholding Income
One common way a court can get involved with making sure that someone is paying their alimony payments is if they decide to withhold a portion of that person’s income and send it directly to their former spouse. When talking to a divorce lawyer, Citrus Park residents should know that this is a great option for an individual who have no interest in speaking or seeing their former spouse, but still depend highly on their spousal support to maintain their quality of living until they are better off financially. A court order to withhold the income of a person is often an action that is common to see when someone is found to be in contempt of court for refusing to pay their spousal support.
*Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Butash Law Group*
