In the world of divorce, much of what is finalized goes into a court order. A court order is a document representing an order from the court to do something. Orders can be issued on a wide range of issues. A domestic violence restraining order can be issued in domestic violence cases, which order a person to not contact another person.
Child support and custody orders can be issued in cases involving children, to order a custody arrangement or order a parent to pay child support. Spousal support orders can be issued in a divorce to order a spouse to provide financial support to their ex-spouse. Not all family law documents will be court orders but those that are cover the most important aspects of a divorce.
Any of these family law orders will be signed by both parties, their attorneys if they have them, and the judge. They are then filed with the court clerk and become enforceable on the date they were signed. Being enforceable means that there are legal consequences of not following the order. An order is a legal document that must be adhered to. Because it is issued by a judge, it carries with it special status. It is not just an agreement worked out between both parties to a divorce.
Not following the court order has consequences. If you do not follow a court-issued order in a family law case, and the other party has to hire an attorney to enforce the order, you may have to pay for those attorneys’ fees, on top of your own. If you repeatedly do not follow the order, you can be found in contempt of court, meaning you disobeyed the court by not following the order, which is a criminal charge. For this reason and others, a court order should be taken very seriously. If you have a family law order that you need enforcement on, contact a skilled family law attorney with experience in order enforcement. For financial orders, you may be able to have the payor’s wages garnished or intercept their tax returns. If someone is violating a domestic violence restraining order, call the police as well as speak to an attorney.
Are you in Los Angeles County and have questions about your divorce orders? Attorney Mark Karney, a Certified Family Law Specialist, has expertise in complex divorce issues and can represent you and your best interests in court. Serving Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and surrounding areas, Mark Karney can efficiently handle your complex divorce and ensure you have reasonable and fair orders in place. Call our office at 310-622-9434; email us at intake@cfli.com or contact us through our online form today to schedule a free consultation.