Experienced Legal Counsel for Custody and Support Enforcement
Court orders mean nothing if no one follows them. When a former spouse or co-parent ignores legal obligations, your children suffer the consequences. Enforcement actions hold people accountable for violating court orders and protect your parental rights.
For these reasons, it is crucial to find the right advocate. At Severn Family Law, we help families all over Georgetown, Williamson County, Travis County, Burnet County, and Austin. Our attorney, Jennifer Severn, will support you as you take legal steps to ensure compliance and safeguard children’s stability.
What Enforcement Means For Your Family
Enforcement compels people to follow existing court orders through legal remedies. When someone violates a court order for child support, child custody or visitation, you can ask the court to step in.
These violations disrupt children’s lives and create financial hardship for families. Jennifer Severn formerly served as Assistant Attorney General for Child Support. She knows how to build strong enforcement cases that demonstrate violations and achieve results.
Common Reasons For Seeking Enforcement
Families pursue enforcement when court orders go ignored. The most frequent violations involve unpaid child support and denied visitation time. When a parent falls behind on payments or stops paying altogether, children lose financial resources they need for food, housing and basic care. These unpaid amounts add up quickly and create real hardship.
Denied visitation hurts children emotionally. When a parent refuses to honor custody schedules or blocks access to children, it damages parent-child bonds. Some parents make excuses or create obstacles that prevent the other parent from spending court-ordered time with their children.
Other frequent causes of enforcement issues that we come across include:
- Ignored parenting plan terms: A parent disregards agreements about holidays, education decisions or medical choices
- Relocation without permission: A parent moves away with children without following legal requirements or getting court approval
- Failure to share information: A parent withholds school records, medical information or other details required by the order
- Interference with communication: A parent blocks phone calls, video chats or other contact between children and the other parent
Courts take violations seriously. Enforcement actions may lead to contempt of court proceedings. These can result in wage garnishment, fines, makeup visitation time or other consequences. In severe cases, courts may modify custody arrangements or impose jail time. Documentation matters in enforcement cases. Keep records of missed payments, denied visits and violated terms. This evidence strengthens your case and shows the pattern of noncompliance.
Why Do I Need A Family Lawyer For Enforcement?
Pursuing enforcement requires gathering documentation, filing motions and presenting evidence in court. You must prove the other party knew about the order and willfully violated it.
Having legal representation provides key advantages:
- Proper documentation: Organizing records and evidence that courts find persuasive
- Legal knowledge: Understanding procedural requirements and filing deadlines
- Court experience: Knowing how to present your case effectively before a judge
- Negotiation skills: Sometimes reaching agreements before formal hearings
- Protection of rights: Ensuring the other party doesn’t manipulate the process
As your enforcement attorney, Jennifer brings 17 years of trial experience to these cases. For over a decade, she was an Assistant Attorney General for Child Support. This experience gives her the tools needed to present compelling evidence and fight for your family’s needs.
Take Action With Severn Family Law
Don’t let violations continue without consequences. Call Severn Family Law at 737-977-8151 or send an email to discuss your enforcement needs in Georgetown.