What Are My Options If My Spouse Violates Oklahoma Divorce Orders?
When you finally finished the tedious Oklahoma divorce process, the last thing you want to deal with is more conflict but the reality is that many ex-spouses find themselves dealing with their ex-spouses not following court orders. This can lead to a lot of stress and might take the form of your spouse not returning your children, failing to follow child custody rules, and not paying child support. If any of these sounds like your situation, then consider asking an Oklahoma divorce attorney for help.
My Spouse Broke the Oklahoma Divorce Order
Finding out your ex-spouse broke a divorce court order can be frustrating, especially if your ex-spouse is ignoring your attempts to fix this situation. Being wary of this is important for knowing when you can protect your parental rights and have the court intervene to hopefully put a stop to this behavior. Violating Oklahoma divorce orders can take many forms:
- Not paying child support
- Late or not showing up to visitation hours at all
- Intentionally keeping or hiding your child away from you
- Withholding custody over your child longer than is stated in the court order
- Refusing to return your child for your end of the custody deal
- Not following restraining orders protecting your or your child
- Failing to pay alimony
- Breaking into your house against your wishes when you both live separately
If you are facing any of these dilemmas, then consider taking legal action. The consequences of breaking a family court order can involve $500 fines, being placed in jail for six months at the most, and garnishment of your ex-spouse’s financial resources like income. Not paying child support could lead to wage garnishment, where the court takes out a portion of income to pay Oklahoma child support.
What If My Oklahoma Spouse Never Brings Back My Child?
If your ex-spouse has decided to willingly keep your children against the orders of the court, then you have the option to report them to the family court. Since this would be considered an Oklahoma child custody order violation, the court can file this as a contempt of court charge. What this does is enforce the child custody agreement.
When you cannot find your child, you can call the police. Depending on the situation, police may or may not be able to intervene and pick up your child unless the judge orders this. Be prepared to show them a copy of your child custody court order. The only exception to all this is if your ex-spouse has a legitimate reason for not returning your child on time.
Divorce Lawyer in Oklahoma
Dealing with an ex-spouse that refuses to follow the rules can be frustrating, especially if your children are being affected by this. Do not hesitate to seek advice from an Oklahoma Family Lawyer if you want to take back control over the situation. You can call the Putnam Law Office today by dialing (405)-849-9149 for a consultation. Depending on the circumstances, we might be able to enforce the court orders that are being broken. Mr. Putnam is an experienced lawyer in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma who is dedicated to his clients.