When you have a divorce agreement finalized, you expect your ex to stick to it. When they violate the agreement repeatedly, that can cause stress and end up wasting a lot of your valuable time. Our Dallas County child support lawyers can help you address these violations and hold your ex accountable.

What Are Some Common Violations of a Divorce Agreement?

There are a few areas of a divorce agreement that can lead to issues later on. Issues about child custody and visitation are common. A custodial parent can violate the agreement by interfering with the other parent’s visitation and keeping the kids away from them. A parent with visitation rights could cause problems by being late to pickup or dropping off their kids.

Nonpayment of child support or alimony can also be a big issue. Whether your ex is having financial issues or they just simply haven’t made good on their obligations, this needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

Do I Have to Go to Court if My Spouse Violates the Divorce Agreement?

You should try talking to your ex first. Maybe they don’t realize that they have been chronically late dropping off your kids after their time with them. Perhaps they just missed an alimony payment because work got busy. Sometimes a simple conversation fixes things.

If your ex continues to violate your divorce agreement, then that usually needs to be addressed by the courts. Gather your evidence and get ready to make your case to a judge.

How Will My Spouse Be Punished for Violating Our Agreement?

If the judge decides that you are in the right and that your spouse has violated your divorce agreement, then they can punish them. Common penalties include:

  • Fines
  • Jail time
  • Being held in contempt
  • Suspension of a driver’s license or professional license

Now, the top priority is to get your ex to make good on their obligations, so it’s rare that the judge will jump right to sending them to jail. After all, it’s tough to pay back child support or alimony from prison. Instead, the judge will often “suspend the commitment,” allowing your ex to fix the problem. If they continue to violate your divorce agreement, then they can be harshly penalized.

What If We Need to Change Something About Our Agreement?

Kids get older and busier. People get remarried. You or your ex might get better-paying jobs or encounter financial difficulties. This can necessitate changes to your divorce agreement.

Someone just can’t decide to stop paying child support or alimony though. A parent can’t just unilaterally change the visitation schedule for their kids. You have to go about these changes in the right way. Go through the courts or alternative methods of dispute resolution, like mediation, and make sure that any changes get approved by a judge.

Meet With Our Legal Team

So if you need help with an ex who won’t adhere to your divorce agreement, contact Iowa Defenders, PLLC. We can schedule a consultation and tell you more about what our attorneys can do to assist you. Reach out to our team today!