While you may think that negotiations and Ohio courtroom arguments are over once your divorce is declared final, the truth is that an uncooperative spouse may force you to take legal action in order to secure child support. If your ex-spouse is not making payments, you may need professional help. We at Kroener Hale Law Firm are here to assist you with your divorce as well as any issues concerning child support that may arise in the future.
According to the Ohio State Bar Association, there are certain things that can and cannot be done if your ex-spouse is not paying child support. While some people believe that parenting time can be denied, this is false. Parents are not allowed to deny parenting time and, if they do, they may be held in contempt of the court and punished by a fine, jail sentence or reduced custody.
In most cases, child support payments are withheld from your ex-spouse’s paycheck. If you do not have this arrangement, due to your spouse being self-employed or some other circumstance, you will need to take other actions to collect the overdue payments.
Other forms of income, such as bonuses, tax returns and payments, may be garnished to pay for the missing child support. If these strategies do not work, you may also request that the Child Support Enforcement Agency suspend your ex-spouse’s driver’s license and any other professional licenses until the payments are made. This information is intended for your education and should not be taken as legal advice.