What it is: occurring when a person willfully fails to follow a court order or interferes with the court’s order. In family law this often means failing to pay the court, refusing parenting time compliance, or ignoring other ordered obligations.
What this means for you: if found contempt of court, the court can order that the violating party pays attorney’s fees (because you had to return to court to enforce the order) and comply. Orders are not suggestions.
Two kinds: civil contempt (to compel compliance — “do it and you’re out”) and criminal contempt (punishment for disrespecting the court). Family cases are usually civil — the point is to make the person follow the order.
Watch out for: contempt requires willfulness. A parent who can’t pay because they lost their job is different from one who won’t pay. The unable-vs.-won’t distinction is exactly why a modification, not a contempt petition, may be the right first step.
