Contempt & Enforcement of Family Court Orders | Rier Jordan P.A.

Enforcing Family Court Orders in Florida

After a divorce or custody judgment, both parties are legally required to follow the court’s orders. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen.

If your ex-spouse or co-parent refuses to comply with a court-ordered parenting plan, child support, or alimony, the attorneys at Rier Jordan P.A. can help you take legal action to enforce your rights.

Our Miami family law team has extensive experience filing motions for contempt and enforcement in Florida courts to ensure fairness, compliance, and accountability.

What Is Contempt of Court in Family Law?

Contempt of court occurs when a person willfully violates a valid court order.
In Florida family law cases, this often involves failing to:

• Pay child support or alimony

• Follow custody or visitation schedules

• Transfer property or assets as ordered

• Comply with injunctions or other court directives

The court can use its contempt powers to enforce compliance — including financial penalties, wage garnishment, driver’s license suspension, or even jail time in extreme cases.

Our attorneys understand how to prepare, file, and argue contempt motions effectively to achieve swift results.

Enforcement vs. Contempt

While “enforcement” and “contempt” are closely related, they serve different purposes in family law:

• Enforcement ensures the other party complies with a court order.

• Contempt punishes intentional violations or disobedience.

At Rier Jordan P.A., we evaluate each case to determine the best strategy — whether you need a strong enforcement motion or a contempt proceeding for non-compliance.

Common Situations Requiring Enforcement or Contempt

We represent clients across Florida in all post-judgment enforcement matters, including:

💰 Failure to Pay Child Support or Alimony

If your ex has stopped paying support, we can help you enforce payment through:

• Income withholding orders

• Wage garnishment

• Property liens or bank account levies

• Suspension of licenses or passports

• Contempt proceedings

👶 Custody & Parenting Plan Violations

When a parent denies visitation, relocates without permission, or fails to follow the parenting plan, we act quickly to enforce your rights and protect your child’s best interests.

🏠 Failure to Transfer Property or Assets

We help enforce equitable distribution orders, ensuring assets, real estate, or financial accounts are transferred as required by the final judgment.

🧾 Violation of Court Orders or Injunctions

If your ex-spouse disobeys a domestic violence injunction or other family court order, we file the necessary motions to hold them accountable.

Consequences of Being Found in Contempt

A finding of civil contempt can result in:

• Fines or monetary penalties

• Attorney’s fees reimbursement

• Wage garnishment or property seizure

• Driver’s license or professional license suspension

• Jail time (for willful refusal to comply)

In most cases, the court will give the violating party an opportunity to “purge” contempt by taking corrective action — such as making overdue payments or complying with a parenting plan.

Our attorneys help ensure your contempt motion is supported by strong evidence and properly presented to the judge.

Defending Against Contempt Allegations

If you’ve been accused of contempt, you still have rights.
Sometimes, a failure to comply is not willful — it may result from job loss, illness, or misunderstanding of the court’s order.

At Rier Jordan P.A., we also defend clients facing contempt actions by:

• Demonstrating lack of willful violation

• Seeking modification of the underlying order

• Negotiating resolutions to avoid penalties or incarceration

We work to protect your legal rights and minimize potential consequences.

The Contempt & Enforcement Process in Florida

1. Filing the Motion – The petitioner (moving party) files a motion outlining the violation.

2. Court Hearing – Both parties present evidence and testimony.

3. Finding of Contempt or Enforcement Order – The judge determines whether contempt occurred and issues appropriate remedies.

4. Compliance Orders or Sanctions – The court can compel compliance, issue fines, or, in serious cases, order jail time.

Our attorneys handle every stage of this process, ensuring your case is thoroughly documented and persuasively presented.

If your ex-spouse or co-parent is violating a court order — or if you’ve been accused of contempt — act quickly to protect your rights.

We’ll fight to ensure Florida’s family court orders are respected and enforced.

Why Choose Rier Jordan P.A.

✅ Extensive Experience in Post-Judgment Litigation
✅ Aggressive Advocacy in Contempt & Enforcement Cases
✅ Representation for Both Petitioners and Respondents
✅ Deep Knowledge of Miami-Dade Family Courts
✅ Dedicated, Confidential Client Communication

We combine precise legal strategy with compassionate representation to help clients restore fairness and peace of mind.

Serving Clients Across South Florida

We represent clients throughout:

• Miami-Dade County

• Broward County

• Palm Beach County

• Monroe County (Florida Keys)

• And across the State of Florida