Family Law AdvisorŪ
Frequently Asked Questions
Connecticut
Contempt of Court/Enforcement
- What is contempt of court?
When a person willfully and deliberately violates a court order without a legally
sufficient excuse (such as impossibility) the person is said to be in contempt of
court.
- So if there are no court orders outstanding and my former spouse is not paying
child support, there's no contempt of court?
That's right.
- And if my former spouse is in violation of an order, what do I do?
You can file a complaint for contempt of court.
- How?
In Connecticut it is just like filing a motion relating to a pending case, except you
must have it personally served on your ex-spouse.
- How much will it cost?
Connecticut courts recently eliminated the fee for filing a motion for contempt.
- Most court actions take forever and my children have to eat. How fast can I get
into court?
Usually fast--no more than several weeks in many areas.
- Once in court, how do I prove that he didn't pay?
Keep good records and testify about the accuracy of your record keeping.
- If the "ex" is in contempt, how soon will I get my money?
Unless your "ex" has a great excuse for not paying, the judge will probably order him
to pay immediately or face imprisonment. At most, the judge will give him several
days or face arrest.
©1996 LawTek Media Group, LLC
all rights reserved
(This document is considered "advertising" under Connecticut State Court Rules.)
www.divorcenet.com/ct/ctfaq02.html