Child Custody Enforcement

In most cases, enforcement of court orders is referencing to the need to enforce child support payments. This, however, is not always the case. In many situations, there is a need for an enforcement of child custody agreements in an effort to cut down on interstate parental kidnapping. In an effort to help with this, the U.S. Department of Justice drafted the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) which has been adopted by every state throughout America, with the exception of Massachusetts. The UCCJEA is there to help enforce child custody agreements across the nation – meaning that a state has to enforce a child custody determination that was made by sister state courts.

While many times, child custody enforcement is there to help the custodial parent keep custody of their child and avoid parental kidnapping, it can also be used by the non-custodial parent to help protect their deserved visitation rights. In some cases, if a parent is being blocked from having communication with their child, it can become an issue large enough to involve the family court once more. This is typically done on the state level, but in some instances, it could involve a federal program, such as the Federal Parent Locating Service (FLPS).

If you are in another state, the Visitation Rights Enforcement Act of 1998 will be able to help. This was drafted with the intention of carrying over visitation rights across state lines so that all states will accept what has been determined in another. This means that even if you are crossing state lines, you will have the clear right to visit your child. If this does not occur, you can involve an attorney to help enforce the order.

For help in locating a family law attorney to help with custody enforcement, please click here.