Child Support Enforcement

A child support order is a court order and will be enforced by a court.  There are a number of different enforcement measures in Colorado to be taken in order to collect child support. A party can use Child Support Enforcement to recover child support.  A party may also file a Verified Entry of Support with the court to show that the other party has not complied with the support order.  The court will then file a Support Judgement that gives the power to garnish the opposing party’s wages and/or bank accounts. In addition, a party could file a Motion for Contempt with the court.  The court will set up a contempt hearing to take evidence on payment or non-payment of child support.

The court has broad powers to impose penalties if a party is not paying child support. Parents who fail to pay child support may face penalties, such as:

• Income assignments against employment wages;
• Wage attachments on unemployment, workers compensation, and disability benefits;
• Suspension of driver’s license;
• Federal and State income tax refund deferment;
• Lottery winnings intercept;
• Contempt of court charges;
• Writ of garnishments;
• Liens on real and personal property;
• Denial of passport application;
• Professional occupational license suspension;
• Federal prosecution; and
• Incarceration.