If a parent fails to follow the court’s child custody order, the other party may file a motion for contempt to bring the issue before the court.
A motion for contempt—as the name implies—is based on the uncooperative party’s contempt for the judge/court’s order. Ignoring the court’s order will have serious potential consequences, including loss of custody and payment of the other parent’s attorney fees and costs in filing the motion for contempt (coercive civil contempt).
And in some cases of repeated failures to comply with the custody order, the court may punish the uncooperative parent with jail time (criminal contempt).
In Ohio, if a parent does not comply with a court-issued child custody order, the other parent has the right to file a motion for contempt to address the violation. This motion is predicated on the non-compliant parent's disregard for the court's authority and mandates. The consequences of such non-compliance can be significant. The court may order the non-compliant parent to pay the legal fees and costs incurred by the other parent in bringing the motion for contempt. Additionally, the court may modify the existing custody arrangement, potentially resulting in a loss of custody rights for the non-compliant parent. In cases where there is a pattern of repeated non-compliance, the court has the authority to impose harsher penalties, including jail time, under criminal contempt to enforce compliance with the custody order.