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 Washington State, when a parent does not comply with a court-issued child custody order, the other parent has the right to file a motion for contempt with the court. This legal action is taken to address the non-compliant parent's disregard for the court's authority. The consequences of being found in contempt can be severe. The court may order the non-compliant parent to pay the attorney fees and costs incurred by the other parent in bringing the motion. 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, 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 ongoing disregard for the court's directives.