Contempt of court refers to the conduct of an individual that explicitly and in a very unambiguous manner disrespects, defies or insults the court’s authority or dignity.
In a family law case, court orders that define parenting arrangements as a part of a divorce settlement are serious documents that must be complied with totally in word and spirit. These orders are given after careful consideration of the circumstances and aimed at maintaining stability for all the concerned parties, especially the children after parents have split. That’s why strict and comprehensive adherence to these court orders is crucial.
The court takes a serious view if one or both the parents violate an order as it can create an atmosphere of uncertainty throw a carefully planned schedule into chaos and disarray.
To prevent such a situation, contempt proceedings can be initiated to force the erring party to follow the court order. Contempt cases are filed when it is apparent that there is a calculated and intentional violation of a family court order.
Violation of a family court order can have a huge impact on the lives of those involved. If an order from the family court is ignored or not complied with appropriately, the person responsible for the same can be charged for contempt of court. A few examples:
- Violating the mutually agreed and accepted parenting time agreement
- Failure to comply with the visitation time agreement by refusing to hand over the child within the agreed timeline
- Deliberately stalling the visit of the child to the other parent in accordance with the parenting plan
- Failure to pay child support or spousal support
