How the Courts Use License Suspension to Enforce Child Support Payments
A child support lawyer can take a number of measures to provide legal recourse for a parent who is not receiving child support payments. In addition to wage garnishment, arrest warrants for contempt of court, and liens on property, the court can suspend licenses.
When a non-custodial parent does not pay child support for three months and non-complies with a court-ordered or voluntary payment schedule, the other parent can have a lawyer take legal action for license suspension.
Child support payment violations can result in suspension of all Texas licenses. Texas statutes identify 60 licensing agencies, but other licenses may also apply. Examples of license suspensions include:
- Driver's license
- Professional licenses, such as medical, dental, and law licenses
- Hunting licenses
- Fishing licenses
- Political licenses
License suspension can have serious repercussions—the inability to drive or practice a profession being the most serious of consequences.
How authorities locate and suspend licenses
The Attorney General Office's Child Support Division has computer access to state agencies that issue licenses. By cross-referencing through databases, the Child Support Division can match child support case loads with existing licenses. First, non-compliant, non-custodial parents receive warnings from the Child Support Division about potential license suspension if they do not handle delinquent payments. If the notification fails to elicit a response or to correct the situation, the Child Support Division verifies location and other information and moves forward with license suspension. It then turns the case over for prosecution.
Parents do not have to react adversely if their spouse is not paying regular child support. They should discuss the situation with their Texas child support attorneys for effective solutions.
