Areas of Practice | Family Law

Enforcement of Child Support or Visitation

Modify Child Support | Texas often places restrictions on the reasons parents petition to modify child support and how often changes can be made. Child support guidelines usually specify the reasons why child support may be modified.

Child support modification is typically based on a significant change in one parent's income or earning capacity. If the noncustodial parent loses his job, he or she may petition the court to reduce or temporarily suspend the child support obligation.

On the other hand, if the parent paying child support sees a significant increase in income, the other receiving parent may petition the court to increase child support.

Modify Child Custody | For a parent to petition to modify child custody, he or she will need to show there is a significant change in circumstances.   Divorce laws may put restrictions on why or how often a child custody order can be modified.

Child visitation schedules may be modified if one parent moves or even on smaller changes, such as a child becoming involved in an activity that makes the existing schedule unworkable. Petitions to modify child visitation and custody must be filed separately from child support modifications.

Even if a final decree is not modified, the divorce court retains jurisdiction over the case for as long as there are minor children involved. The court has the power to enforce child support, child custody and visitation orders through contempt actions. Parents who refuse to comply with the divorce court's order may be fined or jailed.

Divorce
Child Custody and Child Support
Modification of the Divorce Decree or Order
Enforcement of Child Support or Visitation