Like child support orders, spousal support orders are not self-enforcing. This means that if your ex-husband fails to pay court-ordered spousal support, you need to take action immediately. Hiring an experienced Riverside spousal support attorney from Wallin & Klarich is essential to collecting the spousal support payments that you are owed.
Enforcement by finding your ex-husband in contempt
If your ex-husband fails to comply with a court order to pay child support, then the court may find him in contempt. The court may also impose a number of other orders that your ex-husband must comply with. For example, the court can order that your ex-husband make adequate efforts to find a job. If he fails to do so, then he can be held in contempt for failing to comply with that court order.
In most cases, you must file an affidavit with the court citing sufficient facts to support a charge of contempt against your ex-husband. This will trigger enforcement of an existing spousal support order and allow you to collect unpaid spousal support from your ex-husband.
When your ex-husband is found guilty of contempt, the court can order that he serve up to five days in jail and pay a fine. If your ex-husband is found guilty of failing to pay spousal support for several months, he can face a lengthy jail sentence.
Enforcement through the Local Child Support Agency
In some cases, the local child support agency (LCSA) may be in charge of enforcing of an existing spousal support order. The LCSA will only get involved in your spousal support order if there is also a child support order in your case and you request that they help you enforce your spousal support payments as well.
The LCSA has a number of tools to enforce payment of spousal support that you are owed. Some of the enforcement tools include:
• Wage garnishments;
• Levying bank accounts;
• Levying property;
• Revocation of the other party’s California driver’s license; and
• Revocation of the other party’s professional license.
Your Riverside spousal support attorney at Wallin & Klarich can help advise you as to which enforcement method may be most effective in your case and make sure you receive the spousal support that you are owed.
Riverside Spousal Support Attorney
If you live in Riverside and need help with enforcing an existing spousal support order and collecting spousal support that is owed to you, our experienced Riverside spousal support attorneys at Wallin & Klarich can provide you with the aggressive and skillful representation you need. Your first step should be to hire a skilled Wallin & Klarich spousal support attorney.
At Wallin & Klarich, our attorneys have been successfully helping clients collect the spousal support payments that they are owed for over 30 years. We are here to help you with your spousal support matter at one of our many offices in Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Victorville, West Covina, Torrance, and Sherman Oaks.
Call us today at 888-749-7428 or fill out our client intake form online. We will be there when you call.
