If you owe child support, you need to understand the potential consequences associated with falling behind on payments. For example, some parents face arrest, fines, time behind bars and the loss of their license due to back child support. At the same time, you need to familiarize yourself with your legal rights. For example, some non-custodial parents face challenges because their child’s other parent refuses to comply with the terms of a court order with respect to custody or visitation.
Unfortunately, when one party interferes with the visitation rights of a parent, this can adversely impact the child as well.
Back child support and child visitation
The Texas Attorney General reports that even if a parent falls behind on their child support payments, the other parent must respect the terms of a custody agreement or visitation order. From a legal point of view, courts deal with child support and visitation separately. Moreover, you still have to pay child support even if your child’s other parent has refused to let you spend time with your child.
Addressing the denial of visitation rights
If you cannot spend time with your child because the other party refuses to respect the visitation order, you need to go over your options. Sometimes, parents can sort these issues out by talking with each other, although this is not always a good idea. Parents who need assistance may want to contact the Texas Access and Visitation hotline and carefully examine their legal options.
Sadly, some parents fail to respect the rights of their child’s other parent, and these violations should not go unanswered.