Arizona Divorce without Children

Contempt for Nonpayment of Spousal or Child Support in Arizona

What You Need to Know About Contempt After Divorce in the State of Arizona

Once a divorce in Arizona has begun in court and once a judge has made all of his or her rulings and all decisions have been made on both sides, if you willfully violate the orders of the judge, you could be found in contempt.

You can be found in contempt for a number of different issues, including things like the failure to pay any child support in any amount, the failure to pay any amount of spousal support, and finally, for making it difficult for another parent to have his or her parenting time with any child you share from a prior marriage.


Why an Arizona Judge May Rule that You are in Contempt

An Arizona family court judge may rule that you are in contempt for the above listed reasons, or because you have willfully chosen to not comply with any other court order s/he may have issued based on one or more of the unique details of your specific divorce case.

If you are found to be in contempt in Arizona because you willfully violated a judge’s orders, the penalties can be relatively harsh. For instance, the courts may decide that you must spend time in jail and/or that you must pay your ex-spouse’s court fees if you failed to pay any child support or spousal support.

In addition to this, you can have the wages you earned at work garnished by the courts if your particular contempt charge involves the nonpayment of child support or spousal support. This is just one way a judge will ensure that the court’s orders are satisfied and can come in addition to time spent in jail and other penalties.

It is critical that you have the experienced representation you need in court and after divorce proceedings are complete so that you avoid any court rulings that could mean you have to pay additional fees or that mean you could wind up in jail. Only an aggressive family law attorney in Arizona will be able to ensure that you do not get unfair judgements placed against you by the court, and that’s exactly what the Barreda Law Firm will do. Whether you need legal counsel and representation in Gilbert, Chandler, or Queen Creek, let us help you fight your Arizona contempt charges.


Get the Modifications You Need in Spousal and Child Support to Keep from Being Charged with Contempt

It is most often the case that ex-spouses are found to be in contempt for nonpayment of spousal or child support, so it makes the most sense to see if you can get the judge in your case to make modifications to these payments to ensure that you are not found in contempt in the first place. At the Barreda Law Firm, we will help put together a support modification based on any changes in your particular case, such as:

  • The spouse who is receiving the support is now living with a new person
  • The spouse receiving the support is now able to go back to work
  • The spouse paying the support is no longer working or is no longer able to work
  • The spouse who is paying the support has become ill or has become disabled
  • The spouse paying the support has experienced a natural disaster or another type of emergency situation

Getting the Representation You Need to Fight Contempt Charges in an Arizona Court of Law

If you have already been found to be in contempt in Arizona, the Barreda Law Office can help. We have worked with numerous cases just like yours, and we know exactly what defense you will need to fight any contempt charges you face from Arizona family law courts.

Begin today with your no-cost legal consultation by getting in touch with our kind and knowledgeable staff who will gather the necessary details about your contempt charges and assign you to an Arizona divorce attorney who can help right away. Dial (480) 438-8014 to get started right now.

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