If a parent fails to make child support payments, the other parent 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 child support order. Ignoring the court’s order will have serious potential consequences, including loss of custody or visitation rights, 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 child support order, the court may punish the uncooperative parent with jail time (criminal contempt).

In Minnesota, if a parent fails to make court-ordered child support payments, the other parent has the right to file a motion for contempt of court. This legal action is taken when a parent disobeys the court's order, showing a disregard for the legal obligation to provide financial support for their child. The consequences of being found in contempt can be severe. The court may enforce various penalties, such as loss of custody or visitation rights, and the non-compliant parent might be ordered to pay the legal fees and costs incurred by the other parent in bringing the motion. Additionally, the court has the authority to impose coercive civil contempt sanctions to compel compliance, which can include fines or even jail time. In cases of repeated non-compliance, criminal contempt charges may be pursued, potentially leading to incarceration. The aim of these measures is to ensure that child support obligations are taken seriously and to provide a means of enforcement to protect the financial interests of the child.