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 Oklahoma, if a parent does not adhere to the court's child custody order, the other parent has the right to file a motion for contempt to address the violation in court. This motion is predicated on the idea that the non-compliant parent is showing contempt for the authority of the court by disregarding its order. The consequences of such non-compliance can be severe. The court may order the non-compliant parent to pay the legal fees and costs incurred by the other parent in filing 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 extreme cases, particularly where there is repeated non-compliance, the court may impose criminal penalties, including jail time, to enforce compliance with the custody order. This is known as criminal contempt, and it serves as a deterrent against continued disregard for the court's orders.