Sound Advice About Modifying or Enforcing Divorce Decrees
If you need to find out whether a change in your situation will justify modification of an established family court commitment, or if you need advice about what to do if a support obligation goes into default, contact an experienced family law attorney at Clark & Williams in Brunswick for a free consultation about your legal alternatives.
Call 877.284.5932 for advice about modification and enforcement
Any family law order for alimony, child support or visitation can be changed, if the person seeking modification can justify it on the basis of a substantial change of material circumstance.
In other words, you need to show that the change makes a practical difference in your need for support or your ability to pay it. Similar considerations can also bear upon modification of custody or visitation arrangements, as when a change in work hours or a planned relocation will affect the details of your parenting schedule.
In some situations, the timing of your request for modification might also be a factor. Although either party can move for a change in the terms of an original order, additional requests for modification can only be made two years absent an exceptional change in circumstances. We can advise you about the pros and cons of taking your request to court based on how much work will need to go into proving your case, what you stand to gain, and the likelihood that the court will grant your request.
Enforcement is always an option if family court obligations go into default
Sometimes our clients need advice about their best options on either side of an enforcement problem. If child support or alimony payments are skipped without a very good excuse, there's a very real possibility that a contempt order will issue against the party in default.
In many cases, the credible threat of an enforcement action is enough to stimulate the defaulting party into action. In others, a trip to jail and a bill for the injured party's attorneys fees will be necessary as a reminder of the serious nature of court-ordered support commitments.
Whether you need advice about enforcing support obligations or help with finding a practical alternative to contempt sanctions, our lawyers can assist you. Just contact us at Clark & Williams for a free consultation in Brunswick, Georgia.
