While people are often familiar with the idea of “being held in contempt” in a courtroom (often seen in television dramas where someone disobeys the judge) civil contempt refers to when people fail to adhere to the terms of a court order outside of the courtroom.

For example, a failure to pay court ordered child support or alimony can result in a finding of contempt. In family law matters, a petition for contempt can be a useful mechanism to enforce the terms of a judgment of absolute divorce, custody order, child support order, or other court order.  

Civil contempt proceedings, however, are not designed to punish noncompliance. Instead, the goal of civil contempt is to compel present or future compliance with a court order. That said, a person found in contempt can be sanctioned by the court. Sanctions can take many different forms, including imprisonment in some circumstances, and while they can be “purged” they can have very real consequences. This is why it is important to contact an experienced attorney if a petition for contempt is filed against you. 

Additionally, if you believe the other party is not following the terms of a court order, an experienced attorney can help you determine whether to file a petition for contempt and guide you through the process.  

Visit our blog to learn more about contempt in Maryland family law matters 

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Monica Scherer and her team are dedicated to providing aggressive representation and sound legal advice to our family law clients. Our attorneys have many years of litigation experience and provide effective representation to our clients in all types of family law matters. They are recognized as leaders in this field.