Ex Has Not Paid for Over a Year and Refuses to Find Work

[hallion]

My question involves child support in the State of: FL

In our final judgement my ex was ordered to pay me child support (3 kids) but has not done so. This has now gone on for over a year....

She seemingly refuses to seek work (did/does have an alcohol problem), lives in a small studio that her mother pays the rent on and lives on a small allowance/gift that her mother also gives her. To be totally honest I even have to give her a few bucks to take the kids to movies, etc... when she does come to see them (this too ticks me off but I don't want my kids to be bored and suffer due to her attitude/laziness).

The final judgement also states that she "is voluntarily under-employed, that she is capable, based on her employment history, to secure commensurate employment in the near future'....but as mentioned she hasn't even looked for work for years.

What is likely to happen if I file contempt of court against her.

The only asset she really has is 50% interest the house we purchased together which I now have 'exclusive use and occupancy' of. Any chance they could at least award that to me or order that her arrears are the first thing to come out of any future equity...?

Thanks

[cyjeff]

It is possible... but probably not unless the amount of the equity in the home and the amount of arrears is pretty close.

[theminer]

Contact CSE, a years worth of arrears should be enough for a felony indictment. If it comes to actual prison time versus paying I am sure she will find work somewhere.

[llworking]

Contact CSE, a years worth of arrears should be enough for a felony indictment. If it comes to actual prison time versus paying I am sure she will find work somewhere.

I am not aware of FL sending people to jail for non-payment of child support. Some states do but I don't recall FL being one of them.

[horseyjess]

I am not aware of FL sending people to jail for non-payment of child support. Some states do but I don't recall FL being one of them.

Florida will send someone to jail for Contempt of Court Failure to Pay Child Support. I havent seen or heard of them actually going after it as a felony.

[aardvarc]

While it's possible on paper, in reality our prisons are already too full and taxpayers unhappy at footing 3 hots and a cot and medical care as it is. A little time in county jail is absolutely possible, just to send a message, but realistically, actual time in a Florida state prison isn't going to happen for a single year in arrears - hell, we have deadbeat parents 10 YEARS in arrears who don't get prison time.