In California, once a child support obligation has been put into effect by a family court, it becomes a legally binding order. Parents are expected to provide financial support for their children. When they fail to fulfill this obligation, it is taken very seriously by the courts. A custodial parent who is not receiving child support payments as determined by the court can take legal action against the parent who has been remiss.
In many child support situations, the court order for support will include a wage assignment which will take the support payments out of the paycheck of the noncustodial parent. Even in cases where the noncustodial parent lives in another state, child support payment can be enforced through various means by California court action. Some of the ways that child support can be enforced through a local child support governmental agency include withholding the parents wages from his or her paycheck, by attaching bank accounts through bank levies, through driver's license suspensions, through levies on property, through passport denials, through taking the noncompliant parent's state or federal tax refunds, taking payments out of government benefits such as unemployment benefits, workers' compensation, or state disability, or from lottery winnings where available.
A parent who refuses to pay child support may also be punished with a fine and jail time for being found in contempt of court.
Divorce and Family Law Attorney in Orange County, California
Much about divorce and its surrounding issues can be difficult and stressful. These issues, like the division of marital property and debts, child custody, child support, and spousal support are all very personal matters that can evoke disputes between divorcing spouses. They are all subject to California family laws and rules, many of which you may be unfamiliar with. Getting sound legal advice and guidance throughout the legal process of handling these issues, whether they stem from a pending divorce, a past divorce, or from a dispute between unmarried parents, is vital.
Serving the Orange County area, the family law firm of Kevin B. Gibbs, APLC provides outstanding legal representation. Mr. Gibbs is a Certified Family Law Specialist, which is the highest professional status attainable from the California Bar. In order to achieve this status, an attorney must meet rigorous requirements; only about 10 percent of all California family law attorneys have done so. Furthermore, Mr. Gibbs has been practicing family law for almost two decades and has devoted his law practice exclusively to this field. All of these factors mean that your divorce or other family law issue will be in the hands of an accomplished and successful legal professional. To learn more about the firm and how Mr. Gibbs can help you, contact his law offices for a free, initial consultation.