Enforcing Washington Child Support Orders

Child support orders are often necessary after a divorce to maintain a child’s standard of living and to cover their daily living expenses. Both parents have an obligation to financially support their child, but sometimes one parent refuses to pay support, leaving the other parent and their child in a dire financial situation.

At the Hodgson Law Office in Spokane, our experienced family law attorneys can help enforce your child support order and get you the money you need for your child. To learn more, call or contact our office today.

Contempt of Court Hearing in Washington for Child Support Orders

One of the first options available to enforce a child support order in Washington is through the use of contempt of court hearing. The judge in the case will order the parent in arrears to court in order to explain why support payments are not being made.

If the court finds that the parent is willingly refusing to make child support payments, they will be held in contempt of court until the arrearage is paid. This can include daily accruing fines on top of the support payments and even jail time.

Washington Wage Garnishment/Income Withholding Order 

Another option for enforcing child support payments is through the use of a wage garnishment order, also known as an income withholding order. The court issues this order to the parent’s employer, who is mandated to withhold a portion of each paycheck, typically around 10%, and send it directly to the parent in need, bypassing the parent that is supposed to make the payments altogether.

This order can apply to many types of income, including salary paychecks, wages, bonuses, commissions, workers’ compensation benefits, Social Security benefits, and more.

Liens and Sheriff’s Sales in the Greater Spokane WA Area

The court in Washington may also order liens or a sheriff’s sale in order to enforce a child support order and pay off any amount in arrears. A lien can be placed on real estate or personal property and must be paid off before the seller can collect any profits on the sale of the property.

A sheriff’s sale is an auction that sells off the personal property and real estate of the parent in arrears, with some exceptions, and the amount collected is given directly to the parent in need to pay off that portion of the arrearage.

Other Child Support Order Enforcement Options in Washington State

There are also other enforcement options to compel a parent to pay child support in Washington. These include: 

• the suspension of their driver’s license
• the suspension of professional and recreational licenses
• the refusal to renew a United States passport
• reporting the amount in arrears to credit agencies, and 
• shaming the parent by placing them on the DCS “most wanted” webpage. 

To learn more about your legal options, talk to our office today.

Speak to a Trusted Child Support Lawyer in the Spokane Metro Area Today

Are you in need of legal help enforcing a child support order in the Spokane area? If so, contact us now at the Hodgson Law Office to speak with a knowledgeable family law attorney about your case.