Board Certified® Fort Worth & Southlake
Fort Worth Divorce & Custody Enforcement Attorneys
100+ years of combined experience including four Board Certified attorneys.
- Complex, high-asset divorce and property division
- Business owner divorce and valuation disputes
- Contested custody and conservatorship
- Trial-ready representation in Tarrant County courts
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When someone refuses to follow a court order, the consequences can be serious. Whether you are seeking to enforce a judgment or defend against allegations of contempt, the divorce enforcement lawyers and custody enforcement lawyers at Mims Ballew Hollingsworth Law have the experience and strategy to protect your interests. We help clients in Fort Worth, Southlake, and across North Texas take decisive legal action when family court orders are violated.
What Is Enforcement in Texas Family Law?
In Texas family law, enforcement is the court process used to make someone comply with a valid order they've violated, whether that's unpaid child support, denied visitation, or an unfulfilled property transfer. In Texas, enforcement is the legal process used to compel a person to comply with a valid court order. The Texas Family Code allows a party to ask the court to enforce orders involving child support, child custody, property division, and other family law matters. As enforcement of orders lawyers, our team can help you take the right legal steps to ensure these orders are respected.
Enforcement may be necessary when your coparent stops making child support payments or withholds access to the child(ren), or when your ex fails to transfer the property you were awarded in the divorce.
In these situations, the court may issue enforcement remedies such as wage garnishment, judgment liens, license suspension, or even contempt proceedings. The goal is to ensure compliance and uphold the integrity of court orders.
At a Glance
At Mims Ballew Hollingsworth, we represent clients across Fort Worth and Tarrant County in enforcement and contempt matters backed by more than 100 years of combined family law experience. Four of our attorneys are Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
We handle actions to enforce child support, custody, and property division orders, as well as defend clients facing contempt allegations. Our team develops strategic, evidence-based approaches to compel compliance, protect your rights, and navigate high-stakes hearings where outcomes can include fines or jail time.
Recognized by Martindale-Hubbell (AV Preeminent), Super Lawyers, and Fort Worth Magazine’s Top Attorneys, we bring a disciplined, courtroom-ready approach to resolving enforcement disputes effectively.
Please call: 817-900-8330.
Meet Our Enforcement Attorneys
Enforcement and contempt matters at Mims Ballew Hollingsworth are handled by attorneys with direct courtroom experience - including one who ruled on these exact cases from the bench:
Services We Handle
Our Fort Worth enforcement attorneys handle:
What Is Contempt of Court?
Civil contempt
is designed to force compliance. For example, a parent may be held in civil contempt until they pay overdue child support.
Criminal contempt
Punishes the disobedience itself. The court may impose fines, probation, or jail time.
Possible consequences of a contempt finding in Texas family court include:
- Fines for each violation
- Jail time, in cases of criminal contempt or repeated willful violations
- Probation with conditions tied to future compliance
- Wage garnishment or liens to satisfy unpaid support or judgments
- Suspension of a driver's license or passport in child support enforcement cases
- Loss of custody or possession time if the violation involves interference with parenting time
A finding of contempt is serious. It can affect your reputation, employment, and parental rights. Having an experienced contempt of court lawyer by your side ensures your rights are protected.
Common Reasons You May Need an Enforcement Lawyer
Family court orders are only effective if both parties follow them. When one side refuses to comply, an experienced enforcement lawyer can step in to ensure accountability. At MBH, we represent clients seeking to enforce child support, custody, and property division orders, as well as those accused of noncompliance.
Common reasons you may need an enforcement of orders lawyer include:
- Unpaid child support(opens in new tab) or spousal maintenance despite a valid order
- Denied visitation(opens in new tab) or interference with possession time
- Refusal to transfer or surrender property awarded in a divorce decree
- Failure to follow the parenting plan, such as refusing exchanges or ignoring communication provisions
- Attempts to alienate a child from the other parent or interfere with parental rights
In each of these cases, a skilled divorce enforcement lawyer or custody enforcement lawyer can prepare and file the necessary motions to compel compliance and protect your rights. Our attorneys understand how judges in Tarrant and surrounding counties view enforcement matters, and we build a strategic approach designed to achieve real results.
At MBH Law, we help clients both enforce their rights and defend against unfair or exaggerated claims of noncompliance.
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We’re proud of the praise we receive from clients who appreciate our integrity, responsiveness, and thorough preparation.
How Enforcement Works in Fort Worth Family Courts
Our attorneys understand how Tarrant County judges specifically approach these matters, which shapes how we prepare and present your case.
What Happens When You File a Motion for Contempt in Texas
When you file a motion for contempt, the court issues a summons requiring the other party to appear at a hearing. At that hearing, both sides may present evidence and testimony. If the judge finds that the order was clear and that the violation was willful, penalties may be imposed.
Because contempt can result in fines or jail time, it is critical to have an experienced contempt of court lawyer representing you. A knowledgeable attorney understands how to prepare your motion, gather evidence, and present your case effectively before the judge. The contempt attorneys at MBH prepare every case with the seriousness it deserves, ensuring that your rights are clearly and confidently presented before the court.
Facing Contempt? How Our Lawyers Can Help Protect You.
If you have been accused of contempt, you still have rights and defenses. In Texas, the burden of proof rests with the party filing the motion—they must show that you willfully violated a clear and specific court order. The court must also find that you had the ability to comply and chose not to. Without clear proof of intent, a contempt finding cannot stand.
Lawful defenses in these cases can include:
- Lack of notice or misunderstanding of the court order
- Inability to comply due to financial hardship or unforeseen circumstances
- Compliance that occurred before the hearing
- Ambiguity in the court order that makes compliance unclear
Our attorneys are experienced litigators who are ready to go to court to advocate for you. We understand the nuances of contempt hearings, from presenting evidence to cross-examining witnesses. Our team focuses on protecting your freedom, reputation, and parental rights while working toward a resolution that safeguards your future.
Why Hire MBH for Enforcement and Contempt Cases?
Choosing the right attorney for an enforcement or contempt matter can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case. At MBH, we combine strategic advocacy with knowledge of North Texas courts to deliver results that protect your rights and interests.
- Board-certified family law attorneys
- Over 100 years of combined legal experience
- Proven record in high-conflict and high-value cases
- Deep understanding of Tarrant County judges and procedures
At Mims Ballew Hollingsworth, judges and opposing counsel know we come prepared. We pursue enforcement and contempt matters with precision and resolve—whether you need to compel compliance or defend against allegations of disobedience.
Schedule a confidential consultation today to discuss your enforcement or contempt case with a trusted Fort Worth family law attorney.
How an Enforcement Attorney Can Help
Frequently Asked Questions
The court can issue enforcement remedies or hold the person in contempt. This may include wage garnishment, fines, license suspension, or even jail time.
Yes. Jail is a possible consequence if the court finds that a person willfully disobeyed an order.
It depends on the court’s schedule and the complexity of the case. Some matters are resolved in weeks, while others may take several months.
Yes. You can file a motion to enforce visitation. The court can require the other parent to comply and may impose penalties for repeated violations.
Absolutely. Our firm represents both parties seeking enforcement and those defending against contempt allegations. We protect your rights and fight for a fair outcome.
A motion to enforce child support asks the court to compel a parent who has fallen behind on payments to comply with the existing order. It can result in wage withholding, liens, license suspension, or contempt findings if the parent willfully failed to pay. An experienced child support enforcement lawyer can help you file the motion and present evidence of the missed payments.
A divorce enforcement lawyer focuses specifically on post-decree compliance making sure the terms of your divorce (property division, spousal maintenance, custody terms) are actually followed after the case closes. This is a distinct skill from litigating the original divorce, since enforcement hearings have their own procedural rules and burden-of-proof standards.
Yes. There's no general statute of limitations on enforcing most family court orders in Texas, though specific remedies (like certain contempt actions) can have timing considerations.
Yes, in some circumstances. A civil contempt order is generally not directly appealable in the same way a final judgment is, but it can often be challenged through a writ of habeas corpus if you're confined, or through mandamus in certain situations. Criminal contempt findings carry different appellate rights.
Common defenses include lack of notice or misunderstanding of the order, inability to comply due to financial hardship or unforeseen circumstances, compliance that occurred before the hearing, and ambiguity in the order itself that makes compliance unclear. The burden is on the party filing the motion to prove you willfully violated a clear order, without that proof, a contempt finding can't stand.