In short, yes, you can go to jail for not paying court-ordered child support. The good news is that you'll have several opportunities to correct the problem and make the payments you owe. If you are more than 30 days late in paying child support, your debt may be reported to a credit agency. People found guilty could face jail time or even jail time.
Under Florida law, going to prison does not exempt parents from liability for child support payments. In Florida, a judge can find that a parent with a valid and enforceable child support obligation, who can pay and willfully refuses to do so, is in civil contempt and is subject to possible incarceration. First, a court order must have clearly established the child support obligation, either incorporating a marriage agreement containing an agreed child support obligation or including a judge's child support order. But Florida law governing civil contempt as a legal remedy for non-payment of child support is very complicated, so any parent on both sides of this matter should seek an experienced family lawyer to advise and represent you If you have gone through a major and significant change in your life, you can request a change in child support payments.
After losing a payment, your child's other parent can file a petition in the court where the child support order was entered, NOT in criminal court. Under Florida law, the court will change a child support order only in cases where there has been a “substantial change in circumstances.” Whether a child support order has been entered in connection with a divorce case or a paternity claim, it is legally binding. Some may be cluttered with cash and can easily cover their child support orders along with their new expenses. If you think you may be subject to penalties for not paying your child support obligation or if you are a parent seeking to enforce the child support payment owed to you, contact The Roberts Family Law Firm, P.
Still, many people may find themselves in a bad situation, struggling to keep up to date with your child support payments. It's important to note that incarceration alone is usually not enough to stop child support payments. In other words, the court cannot jail someone whose reason for non-payment of child support is an inability to pay. Parents can face severe penalties for not paying child support for any reason, including incarceration.
