A missed child support payment can create real financial strain. But withholding parenting time may create a separate legal problem. In Pennsylvania, child support and parenting time involve different court orders. So, a parent generally cannot treat missed support as a reason to ignore an existing custody order.
Child support does not buy parenting time
Parenting time is not something a parent earns by making child support payments. If a custody order gives a parent time with the child, that order remains important even when support payments fall behind.
For example, suppose a parent owes $800 in missed support but has a court-ordered weekend with the child. The other parent generally should not cancel that weekend simply because the payment is late. Pennsylvania courts can address custody disputes and support enforcement through separate legal processes.
Keeping those issues separate can also protect the child from being placed in the middle of a financial dispute.
What can happen when support goes unpaid?
Pennsylvania provides legal tools for addressing unpaid child support. Depending on the circumstances, those tools may include enforcement proceedings and other penalties. The law also allows courts to address willful failure to comply with a support order.
When missed payments become an issue, the circumstances may matter, including:
- Whether the parent missed one payment or several
- Whether a court-ordered support balance has built up
- Whether the parent has the ability to pay
- Whether a custody order already sets a parenting schedule
Seeking legal assistance can help you determine which court process may address the missed support without putting an existing parenting-time order at risk.
Keeping the issues separate
A missed payment can be frustrating, especially when it affects everyday expenses for a child. However, using parenting time as a way to collect support may lead to another custody dispute.
Keeping child support enforcement and parenting time on their own legal tracks can help reduce conflict. For parents in Hatboro and Montgomery County, reviewing the specific custody and support orders can clarify what rights and enforcement options may apply.