Support Enforcement

Houston Spanish-Speaking Support Enforcement Lawyer

Texas family court orders involving child support, property distribution and spousal maintenance (alimony) are legally binding court orders. Failure to comply with the terms of a divorce decree or support order can result in significant penalties, including employer wage withholding, tax liens filed against property or assets, fines and even criminal charges for being in contempt of court.

Experienced Representation in Support Enforcement

Houston divorce attorney Terry L. Hart has more than 25 years of legal experience handling complex family law cases in Texas. His depth of knowledge in relation to the Texas Family Code, combined with his years of practical legal experience, enable him to provide effective legal representation to clients in Texas support enforcement cases. Mr. Hart represents clients seeking support enforcement assistance to recover regular and past due support payments and clients defending against contempt of court proceedings for failure to pay support.

Child Support Enforcement

Children have a right to be financially supported by both parents. Child support orders set forth rights and obligations pertaining to the financial support of children being raised by an unmarried parent or after a divorce. Noncompliance with child support orders can cause significant financial distress for the parent raising the children and can create burdensome legal implications for the parent in violation of the child support order.

Attorney Hart provides child support enforcement legal assistance for clients in the Galleria area of Houston and surrounding areas. He advises clients that the court addresses denied visitation and nonsupport issues separately. Denied visitation is not a permissible rationale for failing to pay child support. Many parents find themselves in a financial position where noncompliance with child support obligations is unavoidable due to loss of employment or other circumstances. If this is the case, it is critical to petition the court for a modification in child support obligations. Otherwise, child support arrears will accrue and modifications are not retroactive. Three or more consecutive months of noncompliance with a child support repayment schedule can result in driver's license suspension and the suspension of other professional licenses.

Spousal Maintenance (Alimony) and Property Division Enforcement

A divorce decree may set forth spousal maintenance (alimony) obligations requiring a spouse to pay a lump sum payment or regular payments for up to three years to the other spouse. Additionally, a divorce decree may require a spouse to liquidate property and disburse payment to the other spouse in accordance with orders for equitable distribution. Failure to pay spousal maintenance (also referred to as spousal support or alimony), failure to liquidate assets as required by a court order, failure to provide division of property payments or failure to spend down liabilities as required by a divorce decree can result in a legal proceeding for support enforcement. Attorney Hart represents clients in recovering outstanding support payments through demand letters, wage garnishments, liens and other remedies. When necessary, he files a petition requesting the court to enforce the order. In some cases, this may result in criminal sanctions for contempt of court.

For a free consultation with a Houston Spanish-speaking support enforcement attorney: Contact Terry Hart to discuss your legal questions. Se habla español.