Enforcing Missouri Custody Orders
Summary
In Missouri, both parents must adhere to custody orders. If the custodial parent encourages your son to violate the order, you can file a motion for contempt or seek a custody modification. Enforcing custody with a teenager can be complex, and law enforcement may be hesitant to physically enforce the order. Consult a family law attorney for tailored advice. Legal aid organizations and online directories can help you find local attorneys. Interference with a court order is considered contempt of court in Missouri. Proving parental alienation involves documenting behavior, gathering evidence, and seeking professional opinions.Full Conversation
I have joint legal and joint physical custody of my 16 year old son but I am the non custodial parent. He is a teenager and he has been going through some things and for the last almost year he has refused to come and visit with his little sister and I. He feels that if he does not want to that he does not have to. Instead of his custodial parent trying to talk to him or encourage him to still see me or even keep any kind of contact with me, his father supports his decision not to see me because that makes his life easier not having to transport him back and forth an hour each way to meet with me since he chose to move away. The custodial parent says that he does not have to follow the court order and that he doesn't care what it or any judge says that no one can make our son get in the car and come back to Joplin with me for my visit. My son says if he does have to come back with me when he gets to Joplin he will get out of my vehicle and turn around and start walking back to Monett and hope his dad is already on his way to pick him up. His father has to be in control and when our son is with me he does't get to be in charge. He has my son convinced that his life with his family here is fake that it was all made up, that every picture we have of him smiling and having fun was all made up, it was all fake and forced because he had to but that he was never actually happy and never had a good memory ever that his whole life with my family is fake and he never enjoyed one moment of it. He encourages our son to do what he wants even if it is violating the court order and hurting our relationship. Hurting his relationship with his entire family here especially his little sister whom he prayed to God for for like years before he got his prayers answered. He is the best big brother and now he does not even care about medical problems that his sister is having, he has missed the funeral of his great grandmother, I had to miss my own son's 16th birthday because his dad allowed him to chose what he wants to do. He wants to hang out with friends, play video games, have a job around school, go hunting, fishing, he does golf through school and other extracurricular activities. His father has him convinced that he will not be able to successfully do any of those things unless he stays there and stops coming to see me. His custodial parent said that no job will work with him having to go to his moms in another town every other weekend and half the summer. His dad made him get a job at the same place he works at. His dad told me that he contacted multiple attorneys and that they all advised him to keep doing what he is doing and that he will not get in trouble even if the police get involved. He claims that my son's therapist and the attorneys have all told his family to keep doing what they are and to support what our son wants even if that means to continue to violate our court order. I think if makes no sense that legal counsel would advise a client to violate every aspect of a court order when they work for the courts or why any licensed therapist would advise a minor child and their custodial parent to continue to violate a court order and be in contempt of court. Especially when that means that they could get into trouble themselves. I think he is counting on me to think he has legal counsel when he doesn't because what he said does not sound right to me. It is my weekend with my son per the court order and it is mothers day weekend. we have not even seen him in almost a year. If i take the court order to go get him and the sherriff office will they enforce the order and make our son come with me
I'm sorry to hear about your situation, ****. In Missouri, the court expects both parents to adhere to custody orders. If the custodial parent is encouraging your son to violate the order:
- A motion for contempt could be filed.
- The court could modify custody arrangement.
However, enforcing custody with a teenager can be complex, and law enforcement may be hesitant to physically enforce the order. Please consult a family law attorney for advice tailored to your situation.
- A motion for contempt could be filed.
- The court could modify custody arrangement.
However, enforcing custody with a teenager can be complex, and law enforcement may be hesitant to physically enforce the order. Please consult a family law attorney for advice tailored to your situation.
is there a way i can talk to a lawyer right now for free to ask some questions for free
I'm sorry, but FreeLawChat cannot connect you directly to a lawyer. We recommend contacting a local legal aid organization in Missouri. They often provide free legal advice. Also, many attorneys offer free initial consultations. Be sure to inquire about these services when contacting them.
Information on lawyers near me
I'm sorry, but as FreeLawChat, I'm unable to provide specific contact information for lawyers near you. You can use online directories like the Missouri Bar Association's Lawyer Directory to find a family law attorney in your area. Please remember to inquire about free initial consultations.
can you tell me what Missouri defines interference with a court order as
In Missouri, interference with a court order can be seen as a form of contempt of court. It may involve:
- Disobeying or resisting a court's lawful judgment, order, or process.
- Interfering with a court proceeding.
- Disrespecting the court by misbehavior.
Please consult a legal professional for specifics related to your case.
- Disobeying or resisting a court's lawful judgment, order, or process.
- Interfering with a court proceeding.
- Disrespecting the court by misbehavior.
Please consult a legal professional for specifics related to your case.
how can you prove the custodial parent is turning your 16 year old son agaisnt you
Proving parental alienation can be challenging. Here are some general steps:
- Document instances of the custodial parent's behavior, including relevant dates and details.
- Gather evidence, like text messages, emails, or testimonies from neutral third parties.
- Seek professional opinions from child psychologists or therapists.
- Consider requesting a court-ordered psychological evaluation of the child.
Always consult an attorney for advice specific to your situation.
- Document instances of the custodial parent's behavior, including relevant dates and details.
- Gather evidence, like text messages, emails, or testimonies from neutral third parties.
- Seek professional opinions from child psychologists or therapists.
- Consider requesting a court-ordered psychological evaluation of the child.
Always consult an attorney for advice specific to your situation.
i have joint legal and joint physical custody of my 16 year old son. he has refused to see me for the last almost year and his custodial parent has supported this and not allowed me to see him and cut off almost all contact between him and I and my son and I and also my son and his little sister. I am supposed to get him tonight for the first time in almost a year but he says he wont get out of his dads car and into mine what can i do
I'm sorry to hear about your situation, ****. In Missouri, it's generally expected that both parents adhere to the custody arrangement. If one parent is not complying, legal recourse such as filing a motion for contempt or seeking a modification of the custody order could be pursued. However, it's important to consult with a family law attorney to discuss your specific circumstances.