When you unexpectedly get let go from your job position, you may be left with no choice but to cut back on a lot of extra expenses until you can obtain new employment. But one thing that you cannot sacrifice during this time is your standing alimony obligation. In other words, you are legally required to make your court-ordered, monthly alimony payments regardless of what significant event you undergo in your personal life. That is, until you petition and get approved for a formal post-judgment modification. With all that being said, please read on to discover what happens if you stop paying alimony after a recent job loss and how one of the seasoned Somerset County alimony lawyers at the Law Offices of Kisha M. Hebbon, LLC can help you avoid getting into any trouble.
To reiterate, you cannot simply stop paying alimony whenever it is most convenient for you and without official court approval. Otherwise, your former spouse may report these incidents to the New Jersey family court, to which they may ultimately find you in contempt of court.
Namely, contempt of court is a crime of being disobedient to or disrespectful to a court of law and its officers, based on behaviors or actions that oppose or defy their authority. With such a crime, you may find yourself up against any culmination of the following consequences:
After you lose your job, your financial situation may be so dire that you are unsure if you can hold out until the New Jersey family court orders for a post-judgment modification. That is, you may worry that you will fail to meet your monthly alimony obligation before getting this approval, and you will therefore be found in contempt of court. If this is a real concern for you, then it may be in your best interest to file an emergency petition with the court.
Otherwise known as an Order to Show Case, with this emergency petition, you must prove that you experienced a significant and sudden change in circumstances that warrants immediate action. Further, you must prove that this is a true emergency. For example, you have no immediate job prospects because your field is in little demand or uncommon amongst the United States workforce.
You should know that one of the competent Somerset County family lawyers is here to assist you with whatever your legal issue may be. So please reach out to us at the Law Offices of Kisha M. Hebbon, LLC today.
