Unpaid child support, alimony that stops arriving, timesharing weekends that never happen, a house that was supposed to be sold: Florida courts keep the power to enforce their own orders. Reyes Miller Law Group files enforcement and contempt motions for clients in Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe, Orange, Hillsborough and Leon counties, and defends clients accused of violating an order.
How Reyes Miller Law Group handles contempt and enforcement cases
Unpaid child support and alimony
We calculate the arrears and ask for income deduction orders, a judgment for the amount owed and contempt when payment is being willfully withheld.
Denied or missed timesharing
We ask the court for make-up time and the other remedies the statute provides when a parent refuses to follow the schedule.
Property terms of the final judgment
When a former spouse will not sign over a title, refinance, sell the house or divide an account as ordered, we move to enforce the judgment.
Defending contempt motions
If you are accused of violating an order, we present the evidence that the violation was not willful or that compliance was not possible, and work toward a realistic plan.
Attorney's fees
In many enforcement cases we ask the court to order the party who violated the order to pay the fees the violation caused.
What Florida law says
Civil contempt for unpaid support
Before holding a party in contempt for not paying support, the court must find that a valid order exists, that the party had the ability to comply and that the failure to comply was willful (Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.615). Any jail order must include a purge amount the person can actually pay.
Remedies for refused timesharing
When a parent refuses to honor timesharing without proper cause, section 61.13(4)(c), Florida Statutes, lets the court award make-up time, order a parenting course, community service or other sanctions, award attorney's fees and costs, and modify the parenting plan if that is in the child's best interests.
Support enforcement tools
Florida can enforce support through income deduction orders, suspension of driver's licenses (section 61.13016), liens, interception of tax refunds and contempt.
Enforcing property terms
When a party refuses to sign a deed or other document a judgment requires, the court can appoint another person to sign it in that party's place (Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.570).
Support and timesharing are separate
Florida treats child support and timesharing as separate obligations. One parent's violation does not excuse the other's.
What happens after you reach out
- 1
A free consultation
Call or send the form. You talk with the firm about what is happening, in English or Spanish, at no cost.
- 2
We review your papers
Bring any petition, order, agreement or letter you have received. Family court deadlines are short, so we look for those first.
- 3
An honest plan
You get a straight assessment of your options and what each one is likely to cost in time and money.
- 4
We handle the case
If you hire the firm, we prepare and file the papers, deal with the other side, and represent you at mediation and in court.
Where we handle contempt and enforcement cases
Reyes Miller Law Group takes cases in these seven Florida counties. Each county's family cases are heard in its own judicial circuit.
- Palm Beach County
15th Judicial Circuit
Main Judicial Center (Judge Daniel T. K. Hurley Courthouse)
- Miami-Dade County
11th Judicial Circuit
Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse Center
- Broward County
17th Judicial Circuit
Broward County Central Courthouse, Judicial Complex West Building
- Monroe County
16th Judicial Circuit
- Orange County
9th Judicial Circuit
Orange County Courthouse
- Hillsborough County
13th Judicial Circuit
George E. Edgecomb Courthouse
- Leon County
2nd Judicial Circuit
Leon County Courthouse
Our offices
THE FIRM
The sword and the shield.
Reyes Miller Law Group is built for clients who cannot afford a poor outcome. The firm combines strategic litigation, negotiation, mediation, and practical family-law guidance.
WHAT WE DO
- Divorce, custody & family law litigation
- Uncontested & simplified divorce
- Paternity, petitions, counter-petitions & responses
- Child support, alimony & modifications
- Parenting plans, timesharing & parental responsibility
- Equitable distribution of marital assets & debts
- Prenuptial & postnuptial agreements
- Name changes & legal document preparation
- Aggressive negotiation & skilled mediation
- High-conflict divorce, custody & parental alienation
- Child abduction & wrongful retention (Hague Convention)
- Domestic violence injunctions — petitioners & respondents
- Complex, high-asset & high-net-worth divorce
- Emergency motions, ex parte relief & contempt
- Relocation disputes — in-state & out-of-state
Frequently asked questions
What happens if my ex does not pay child support?
The court can enter a judgment for the unpaid amount, order it taken from their paycheck, suspend licenses and hold them in contempt, which can include jail with a purge amount.
The other parent will not let me see my child. What can I do?
If you have a court order, file to enforce it. The court can order make-up time, fees and other sanctions, and repeated refusal can support a change to the parenting plan. Keep a written record of every missed exchange.
Can I stop paying support if timesharing is being withheld?
No. Stopping payment puts you in violation as well. Enforce the timesharing through the court instead.
Can I go to jail for contempt in family court?
It is possible in civil contempt, but only after a finding that you had the ability to comply and willfully did not, and you must be given a way to purge the contempt.
Does the other side have to pay my attorney's fees?
Often the court can order it in enforcement cases, particularly when the violation was willful. It depends on the facts and the parties' finances.
Other cases we handle
Related articles
- How Contempt Works in Florida Family Court
- 7 Parenting Plan Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Case in Florida
Managing partner
Yvette B. Reyes, Esq. · Florida Bar No. 53510 · Practicing in Florida since 1995 · Read her profile
Page updated September 2026. This page describes the services of Reyes Miller Law Group and general Florida law. It is not legal advice about your situation, and contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Full disclaimer.
