This is the 4th installment in a series about enforcing visitation with Contempt written by Virginia Cornwell. Virginia is a A Franklin County Ohio Custody Lawyer and Ohio State Bar Association Certified Family Relations Specialist. Virginia is one of approximate 100 attorneys in Ohio to have received this honor.
The other articles in the contempt series can be seen below:
DEFENSES TO CONTEMPT THAT ARE NOT LIKELY TO WORK IN OHIO
In the course of this series, we’ve already discussed one defense to contempt that rarely works in Ohio, that a motion to modify the order was pending while a person continued to violate the order. Ohio Revised Code 2705.031 provides that a court can find a person in contempt, and punish them accordingly, even if the court later decides to change the order. (See ORC 2705.05 . Click here to see our post on penalties.
In other cases, the parties, and even the attorneys may mistakenly believe that if they take the positions that they were following the advice of their attorney, they cannot or will not be held in contempt. This is not true. It is no defense to a finding of contempt that a party acted in good faith or upon the advice of counsel. See Polk v. Polk, Rini v. Dyer, 2008-Ohio-4172, Miller v. Miller, State Ex Rel Adkins v. Sobb, Townsend v. Townsend, Pugh v. Pugh, 15 Ohio St. 3d 136 – Ohio: Supreme Court 198 etc.
Other excuses which don’t hold a lot of water in Ohio are excuses which put the wishes of the child above the order of the court, convenient ( and non-existent illnesses), convenient work and car problems that only seem to occur at the time for exchanges, etc.
Some persons who do not obey court orders mistakenly believe that they cannot be sentenced to jail time in a civil contempt action. To put it another way, they believe that the imposition of jail time makes the action a criminal contempt action, as opposed to a civil contempt action, and that he or she now has all the rights of a criminal defendant. This is not the case. In a civil contempt case, the purpose of the punishment is to coerce the contemnor to obey a judicial order for the benefit of a third party. See Polk v. Polk, Carroll v. Detty. In addition, civil contempt sanctions are conditional in nature, since the contemnor (person in contempt) is said to carry the keys to his or her prison in their pocket – because the court gives them a chance to purge their contempt (obey the court order) before they go to jail. State v. Kilbane, 61 Ohio St. 2d 201. NOTE: Purging contempt will not save you from fines, attorney fees, and a possible change of custody, just from prison.
Another legal argument that fails is the argument that jail time for contempt violates the constitutional prohibition against imprisonment for debts. WRONG. See Pugh v. Pugh, 15 Ohio St. 3d 136 – Ohio: Supreme Court 198 and Harris v. Harris (1979), 58 Ohio St. 2d 303 [12 O.O.3d 291].
One thing that it is important to remember is that if the other parent fails to transport the child, you can seek to hold them in contempt for failing to do so, but you need to go ahead and do the driving and/ or make the transportation arrangements yourself, unless it is impossible (not inconvenient) to do so on in the time frame remaining for the visitation. Try not to worry about the unfairness of having to do all the driving yourself – courts have remedies available for parents who WILL NOT (as opposed to can not) exchange their child, such as a change in custody.
A says
My abusive ex in Franklin County abused my son I took both kids. Afraid to send them back and they refused I am now in contempt for the first time. I enrolled them into my district. My ex spouse moved out if residential parent ordered residence. So neither of us live in the ordered city. What’s my punishment. I’m so afraid of my ex . Today at court was a continuance. Please reply.
J says
Hello, I am court-ordered parenting-time with my son (including holidays). Recently my child’s mother (custodial parent) refused to allow me parenting-time on the Thanksgiving holiday; she sited that my son did not want to partake in Thanksgiving festivities with me (which may be true, as he is used to spending the holidays with her). I plan to file contempt on my child’s mother within the next few days. What type of consequences can she potentially receive? Could I ask the court for additional holidays (this year) in order to make-up for the parenting-time she had denied me?
PG says
Do all of these contempt laws apply to temporary orders as well?
R says
HELP!!!!! My husband and his ex have shared parenting in the state of Ohio, which is something she has never actually complied with. We have been putting up with her keeping the kids from us anytime she feels like she wants to start a battle with my husband or anytime she has something up her butt.
Now, she just informed us TODAY that she will be moving to another state THIS SATURDAY…. um… no!!! First of all, she cannot move the children without consent from my husband but she knows that we don’t have the money to take her to court in 3 days.
Question is….. I assume that we can go a head and let her “take the kids” and then call an Amber alert… correct??
Also, she doesn’t even have proper housing where she is going. She will be moving in with another family. The children don’t have bedrooms or commodities there…. I am sure Children Services will not agree with that either…
Do we file for contempt?
J says
Is there any circumstances where the custodial parent can stop the 9.4 visits on their own? After 2 months of him barley fulfilling the order I became angry and had argument with the custodial on the phone. He says because I used profanity I would not be seeing the children. He claims he may stop the visits. I haven’t seen our children in over three weeks. This is after having them for atleast a year more than the custodial. I have to save for the filing fee. Is he in contempt?
OE says
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P says
How many contempt violations need to occur before the offending parent is punished, e.g., 1,2 maybe 9? Two Lawyers in Lucas County Ohio say the offending parent will only have to give additional parenting time. What needs to occur before the offending parent is truly punished?
g says
In a criminal contempt case over visitation issues, do u have the right to have a jury trial?
KR says
How many times of a parent not taking their child/children to their sporting events is needed before filing contempt. Along with how many months are needed to pass of not getting ANY telephone time with my children is needed and how long does he have to pay the 50% of all extra ciricular activites and medical expenses not covered by the insurance. How long do I need to track this before appearing back in court? I don’t want to look petty. I take this seriously these are my children. How do I get an attorney to take me seriously? PLEASE HELP with suggestions.
Anonymous says
I am with the non residential parent below but I am the residential parent who moved away to start again, away from harassment and abuse of myself and child.
My child’s parent does not respond to meet halfway and will sometimes email saying he will but never gets back with me. I’m forced to do all the driving or get my family involved in meeting me halfway because he will not. This has gone on for over a year. Oh, and he is never current on child support. Gotta love Ohio for that not being relevant.
Anonymous says
I was wondering what you meant by “Try not to worry about the unfairness of having to do all the driving yourself – courts have remedies available for parents who WILL NOT (as opposed to can not) exchange their child, such as a change in custody.” Does this mean that the non-residential parent does NOT have to do all the driving? Especially in the case where the residential parent moved away, therefore increasing the drive time, and decreasing the amount of time actually spent with the child? The residential parent refuses to come to an agreement to meet 1/2 way or even less than 1/2 way in their case.
Your articles have provided some great insight! Thank you!
Anonymous says
This information was very helpful thank you!!
L says
I am wondering if there is some kind of law that I need to know about for an upcoming court date. My former husband has filed several contempt charges against me, several times, all have been dropped when I appear in court. This next court date is yet another example of his attempts in harassing me. He makes a lot of money, I don’t.
Specifically, I was wondering if again I am not guilty of these charges of contempt, is there a law that states, he pays my attorney fees? I truly believe this ongoing situation would stop if he had to pay my attorney fees.
I thank you in advance for any advice.