Grays Harbor, Washington – It’s serious. Court Order is an order, not a request. Not something to remind you, but for you to ACTUALLY follow. But what happens if you don’t?
As every parenting plan is approved by a Washington court, it means that a violation against it is a violation of a court order. When one violates a court order, this means the person can face serious consequences. The parent will be held in “contempt of court”, and could face fines, lose custody or visitation-related repercussions in the future and worse, could even face jail time.
What is contempt and what do you need to do to avoid it?
It is simply when someone fails to follow a court order. Parent/s who are in violation of a parenting plan, should take this seriously and not take it lightly. Wilful disobedience is usually the case for those parents who violate it.
The following violations can lead to contempt. Avoid:
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Intentionally and repeatedly violating visitation times
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Refusing to allow the other parent to see your child per the plan
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Failing to return your child to the other parent on time or at all
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Trying to alienate your child against the other parent
What are the penalties for violating a parenting plan?
In case any of the above is done, the parent will be held for contempt. The judge will definitely reiterate why a parenting plan is important. The court may do the following:
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If the violations are becoming frequent or have become extremely serious in nature, the court may decide to change the custody and visitation plan, giving the other parent more custody rights or even outright stripping the violating parent of their custodial rights.
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Mandatory counseling for both parents
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Additional fines (civil)
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Compensation for attorney fees or other civil penalties
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Additional hearings to monitor adherence
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Possible jail time
