Enforcement
An order that isn't followed isn't worth the paper it's printed on — unless you use the court to enforce it. Whether the issue is unpaid support, denied visitation, or some other violation, the legal system has tools to compel compliance. I've handled enforcement cases throughout Texas for 18 years. What I won't do is let you take the law into your own hands — that always makes things worse.
If you have a court date coming, call now — (817) 382-8333.
How I approach it
First, the rule: possession and support are independent obligations in Texas. If support isn't being paid, you cannot withhold visitation. If visitation is being denied, you cannot stop paying support. Either of those moves puts you in contempt — not the other party. The proper remedy for any violation is through the court, not self-help. Every enforcement case I take starts by making sure my client hasn't already taken a step that undermines their position.
With that established, enforcement typically follows one of three paths. The first is a demand letter and documented notice. In some situations — especially where the violation is new or the other party may be unaware of the consequences — a firm letter from an attorney documenting the violation and demanding compliance is enough. It also creates a paper trail if the matter escalates.
The second road is filing a motion for enforcement. When informal pressure hasn't worked, or when the violation is serious, filing in court is the right move. Enforcement remedies in Texas can include contempt — which can mean fines, attorney's fees, and in some cases confinement. A well-prepared enforcement motion clearly documents every violation with evidence, date, and the specific provision of the order that was violated.
The third road, often pursued at the same time as enforcement, is a modification. If the current order isn't working — not just being violated, but genuinely unworkable — addressing both the enforcement and the underlying order makes sense together. See the Modifications & Enforcement page for how those work in combination, or the Modifications page for the modification standard.
The first step
A good enforcement case is built on documentation — the order, the violations, and the proof. Your Plan of Action reviews your existing order, evaluates the strength of the enforcement case based on what you can document, and identifies the most effective path to compliance.
After that, it's pay-as-you-go — you always know the price before the work begins. No retainer to exhaust, no surprise invoices, no hourly meter.
Contempt in a Texas family law case can result in fines, an order to pay the other party's attorney's fees, and in some circumstances confinement. The severity of the remedy depends on the nature of the violation, the history, and whether the court finds the violation was willful. A well-prepared enforcement motion documents all of that clearly.
No. This is one of the most important things to understand in Texas family law: possession and support are independent obligations. Withholding court-ordered visitation because support isn't being paid puts you in contempt, regardless of the other party's violation. The right answer is to enforce the support order through the court — not to take a step that hands the other side a contempt argument against you.
Document everything — dates, times, what happened, any communications. Then bring that documentation to a Plan of Action review. A motion for enforcement of the possession order is the right vehicle. Do not stop paying support in response to denied visitation — that's a separate violation that weakens your position. The goal is to have a clean enforcement case, and that means keeping your own hands clean.
There are limitations periods that apply to family law enforcement actions, and they can bar enforcement of older violations if you wait too long. This is one more reason not to delay. If there's an ongoing pattern of violations, the sooner you document and act, the stronger your case. Your Plan of Action will address the timeline specific to your situation.
Often yes — if the underlying order isn't working, fixing it and enforcing it at the same time is more efficient than doing them separately. The combined Modifications & Enforcement door page explains how those work together. Your Plan of Action will tell you whether both are warranted in your situation and what the combined strategy looks like.
The $500 Case Review & Plan of Action maps out the enforcement strategy that fits your order and your facts — so you're building a case, not burning your own position.
If you have a court date coming, call now — (817) 382-8333.