Frequently Asked Questions
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Personal Injury
There are many "personal injury" lawyers in Los Angeles, all of whom claim to handle "big" cases. However, it is crucial that you ask tough questions of the lawyer you are thinking of hiring. Look behind the "fluff" of advertising and find out the following:
• How many of these types of cases have you handled?
• What results have you obtained on these cases?
• How many cases have you tried before a jury?
• What is the most a jury has awarded to one of your clients in a jury trial?
• How will you finance the costs of my case?
• How much time and money are you willing to spend on my case?
• How many lawyers will be assigned to work on my case?
• How much experience do the associate lawyers in the firm have?
Taylor & Ring will give you concrete, specific, honest and compelling answers to these questions. Many other lawyers will simply dodge these questions, probably because they do not have the experience, results, or resources to back up the "fluff" of their advertising.
A lawyer with a proven record of outstanding results obtained in jury trials will garner more respect from the opposing side, which ultimately will translate into a larger settlement for you. If the defendant's lawyer knows that your lawyer tries and wins many cases, and often "wins big," the defendant company will often pay more than it otherwise would just to get your case settled without the risk of a trial. At Taylor & Ring, many cases settle for a premium before trial because the defendant "blinked first."
Litigation is expensive. Many lawyers settle cases for less than the true value of the case because the lawyer cannot afford the cost of financing the case through a trial. Expert witnesses, trial exhibits and other items inflate the cost of litigation, but if your attorney is not willing or capable of spending money for those necessary items, he or she is only hurting your chances of obtaining a fair settlement. Taylor & Ring has the financial resources to fully fund your case and spend whatever is necessary to win at trial.
Experience. Results. Integrity. Intelligence.
We are trial lawyers who command respect from our opponents. While we are compassionate with our clients, we are aggressive litigators who refuse to back down to corporate defendants and their big-firm lawyers. We know the litigation ropes. We know what it takes to find the hidden documents, the reluctant witness, or the most-qualified expert witness.
John C. Taylor and David M. Ring have almost fifty years combined experience practicing personal injury law in Los Angeles. They were selected as two of the "Top 100" lawyers in Southern California in 2007 and again in 2008 in Los Angeles magazine's Super Lawyers edition. For years they have obtained precedent-setting results in tough, high-profile cases. Their courtroom results speak volumes.
Absolutely "yes" to the first question.
Absolutely "not true" to the second question.
Here is an example what sets Taylor & Ring apart from others:
We recently represented an injured motorcycle rider. The defendant offered us a $250,000 settlement offer within the first month of the case, which we rejected. A year later, the defendant offered $1 million just before trial; we rejected that offer also. We took the case to trial and obtained a jury award of $18 million. Ask yourself: Would the lawyer you are thinking of hiring tell you to accept the $250,000 offer? Would he or she be able to aggressively litigate a tough liability case for a year so as to then generate a $1 million offer? And, when faced with that $1 million offer, would your attorney turn it down because he had the confidence in his trial skills to proceed to trial in order to obtain full value for your injuries? And, finally, would he win, and win big?
Criminal Defense
The prosecutor must convince the judge or jury hearing the case that the defendant is guilty "beyond a reasonable doubt." This standard is very hard to meet. (By contrast, in non-criminal cases, such as an accident or breach of contract, a plaintiff has to prove her case only by a preponderance of the evidence -- just over 50%.) As a practical matter, the high burden of proof in criminal cases means that judges and jurors are supposed to resolve all doubts about the meaning of the evidence in favor of the defendant. With such a high standard imposed on the prosecutor, a defendant's most common defense is often to argue that there is reasonable doubt-that is, that the prosecutor hasn't done a sufficient job of proving that the defendant is guilty.
Yes. The U.S. Constitution gives a person accused of a crime the right to be tried by a jury. This right has long been interpreted to mean a 12-person jury that must arrive at a unanimous decision to convict or acquit. (In most states, a lack of unanimity is called a "hung jury" and the defendant will go free unless the prosecutor decides to retry the case. In Oregon and Louisiana, however, juries may convict or acquit on a vote of ten to two.) The potential jurors must be selected randomly from the community, and the actual jury must be selected by a process which allows the judge and lawyers to screen out biased jurors. In addition, a lawyer may eliminate several potential jurors simply because he feels that these people would not be sympathetic to his side-but these decisions may not be based on the juror's personal characteristics, such as race, sex, religion or national origin.
The jury has the ultimate power to decide whether a person is guilty of a crime. As the "conscience of the community," jurors can free a defendant even if they think the defendant actually committed the crime charged. The name for this power is "jury nullification." It has always been a part of our judicial system.
When jurors nullify a law by acquitting a defendant who has obviously broken that law, judges and prosecutors can do nothing about it. A jury's not guilty verdict is final. Jury nullification rarely occurs, but when it does, it most often involves cases that have a political component (such as the refusal to convict draft dodgers during the Vietnam War) or that have harsh punishments the jury does not want to impose on that particular defendant.
Bail is cash or a cash equivalent that an arrested person gives to a court to ensure that he will appear in court when ordered to do so. If the defendant appears in court at the proper time, the court refunds the bail. But if the defendant doesn't show up, the court keeps the bail and issues a warrant for the defendant's arrest. Bail can take any of the following forms:
• cash or check for the full amount of the bail
• property worth the full amount of the bail
• a bond-that is, a guaranteed payment of the full bail amount, or
• a waiver of payment on the condition that the defendant appear in court at the required time, commonly called "release on one's own recognizance" or simply "O.R."
Judges are responsible for setting bail. Because many people want to get out of jail immediately and, depending on when you are arrested, it can take up to five days to see a judge, most jails have standard bail schedules which specify bail amounts for common crimes. You can get out of jail quickly by paying the amount set forth in the bail schedule.
There are two ways to pay your bail. You may either pay the full amount of the bail or buy a bail bond. A bail bond is like a check held in reserve: It represents your promise that you will appear in court when you are supposed to. You pay a bond seller to post a bond (a certain sum of money) with the court, and the court keeps the bond in case you don't show up. You can usually buy a bail bond for about 10% of the amount of your bail; this premium is the bond seller's fee for taking the risk that you won't appear in court.
A bail bond may sound like a good deal, but buying a bond may cost you more in the long run. If you pay the full amount of the bail, you'll get that money back (less a small administrative fee) if you make your scheduled court appearances. On the other hand, the 10% premium you pay to a bond seller is nonrefundable. In addition, the bond seller may require "collateral." This means that you (or the person who pays for your bail bond) must give the bond seller a financial interest in some of your valuable property. The bond seller can cash-in this interest if you fail to appear in court.
Nevertheless, if you can't afford your bail and you don't have a friend or relative that can help out, a bond seller may be your only option. You can find one by looking in the Yellow Pages; you're also likely to find bond sellers' offices very close to any jail.Finally, be ready to pay in cash, a money order or a cashier's check. Jails and bond sellers usually do not take credit cards or personal checks for bail.
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In most states, it's illegal to drive a car while "impaired" by the effects of alcohol or drugs (including prescription drugs). This means that there must be enough alcohol or drugs in the driver's body to prevent him from thinking clearly or driving safely. Many people reach this level well before they'd be considered "drunk" or "stoned."
Police typically use three methods of determining whether a driver has had too much to be driving:
Observation. A police officer will pull you over if he notices that you are driving erratically -- swerving, speeding, failing to stop or even driving too slowly. Of course, you may have a good explanation for your driving (tiredness, for example), but an officer is unlikely to buy your story if he smells alcohol on your breath or notices slurred words or unsteady movements.
Sobriety tests. If an officer suspects that you are under the influence, he will probably ask you to get out of the car and perform a series of balance and speech tests, such as standing on one leg, walking a straight line heel-to-toe or reciting a line of letters or numbers. The officer will look closely at your eyes, checking for pupil enlargement or constriction, which can be evidence of intoxication. If you fail these tests, the officer may arrest you or ask you to take a chemical test.
Blood-alcohol level. The amount of alcohol in your body is understood by measuring the amount of alcohol in your blood. This measurement can be taken directly, by drawing a sample of your blood, or it can be calculated by applying a mathematical formula to the amount of alcohol in your breath or urine. Some states give you a choice of whether to take a breath, blood or urine test -- others do not. If you test at or above the level of intoxication for your state (.08 to .10 % blood-alcohol concentration, depending on the state), you are presumed to be driving under the influence unless you can convince a judge or jury that your judgment was not impaired and you were not driving dangerously. Defense attorneys often question the validity of the conversion formula when driver's alcohol levels are based on breath or urine tests.
No, but it may be in your best interests to take the test. Many states will automatically suspend your license for a year if you refuse to take a chemical test. And if your drunk driving case goes to trial, the prosecutor can tell the jury that you wouldn't take the test, which may lead the jury members to conclude that you refused because you were, in fact, drunk or stoned.
Family Law
Both parties must be at least 18 years old to obtain a marriage license. If either party is under 18 years of age, parental consent or a court order is required.
It depends. You cannot marry:
• someone who is an ancestor (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, etc.) or descendent (son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, etc.);
• your brother or sister;
• your parent's brother or sister (aunt or uncle);
• your niece or nephew.
No, not yet.
A "licensed marriage" or "ceremonial marriage" requires a license and is performed by an authorized official (minister, priest, rabbi, judge, etc).
An informal marriage (sometimes called a common-law marriage) can be created when a man and woman sign and register an official document of marriage at the county clerk's office. A man and woman may also enter into an informal marriage if they agree to be married, live together in Texas as husband and wife, and represent to others that they are married.
Yes. An "annulment" is a proceeding to have a marriage declared void as if it never took place. A "divorce" is the proceeding to end a valid marriage. There are many similarities, however, in the manner that the property division and children's issues are handled.
An annulment may be granted if at the time of the marriage one party to the marriage was:
• underage,
• under the influence of alcohol or drugs,
• impotent,
• mentally incompetent,
• forced to marry, or
• was misled about prior divorce. In most cases, the law requires that the person seeking the annulment must cease living together with the other party once the problem is discovered.
• previously married,
• married to a relative as designated by Texas law.
No. In Texas, a divorce may be granted without either party being at fault. A divorce may also be granted when one party is found to be at fault in the break-up of the marriage.
Before filing, one of the spouses must live in Texas for at least (6) months and in the county where the divorce is filed for at least ninety (90) days.
Yes. Time spent by a Texas resident outside of Texas, while in the military, satisfies the residency requirement in Texas for a divorce.
Attorneys who meet certain qualifications required by The State Bar of Texas may become board certified in family law. The status of "Board Certified" creates a specialty status for the attorney.
Yes, depending upon their knowledge, experience, qualification, and the complexity of the case.
A petition for divorce must be filed in the district clerk's office and the required fees paid.
If there are children born, adopted, or expected during the marriage, the suit for divorce must also address matter of custody, visitation, and child support. If a wife has given birth to a child or is expecting a child since the time she married, but the child is not or may not be the biological child of her husband, other circumstances arise which require a different application of Texas law.
The party who files divorce first is called the "Petitioner" and the other party is called the "Respondent."
Yes.
• By receiving a copy of the petition from a sheriff, constable, or court approved private process server; or
• If the parties agree, the non-filing spouse may, after the petition is filed, sign a document called a "waiver"; or
• If your spouse cannot be located, a notice may be served by publication.
Once a Respondent is officially notified, there is a deadline to file a response to the petition. If the deadline is not met, the Petitioner can go forward and obtain a divorce by "default."
A Temporary Restraining Order sets forth the acts which either or both parties are prohibited from doing immediately after the petition is filed such as spending money unnecessarily, incurring unnecessary debt, or harassing the other party.
Yes, if the court approves the request for a TRO, however; a hearing must be scheduled within fourteen days which requires appearance.
A person who violates a TRO, or any other court order, can be held in contempt of court and punished by a fine and/or jail sentence.
Yes. The respondent can file his or her own request for divorce in a document usually referred to as a counter-petition for divorce.
You can dismiss your divorce proceeding.
A petition for divorce must be filed with the court for at least sixty (60) days before the court can grant the divorce.
If the parties are in agreement, a divorce proceeding can be finalized soon after the sixty-day waiting period is over. If the parties are not in agreement, the time it takes will depend on the court's schedule and the complexity of the case. From start to finish, the divorce process may go through a number of phases including temporary orders, exchange of financial information, psychological evaluations (in custody cases), alternative dispute resolution, trial, and appeal. A divorce in which the parties are not in agreement on some or all issues will usually take at least several months.
You are divorced when all the property and child related issues are resolved and the judge signs an order, usually called a Decree of Divorce.
In most cases, you must wait thirty (30) days, but the court can grant a waiver to permit you to marry sooner.
Division of Property upon Divorce
It is presumed that all property acquired by the parties during the marriage is community property.
Separate property is that property owned by a spouse prior to marriage or acquired by a spouse during marriage by gift or inheritance. Separate property issues are complex and require skilled training in order to be addressed accurately.
No. The judge can only divide the parties community property. The judge cannot take away a spouse's separate property, except in certain very unique and rare circumstances.
The judge divides the community property and liabilities in a "just and right" manner. In some circumstance the judge may award more of the community property and/or the liabilities to one of the spouses.
Spousal Maintenance in Texas
Alimony is periodic payments from one spouse for the support of the other spouse.
Yes, but it is referred to differently depending on whether it is ordered while a divorce is pending which is temporary spousal support, or court-ordered in a divorce decree which is "maintenance," or agreed upon by the parties as part of the terms of a final court order which is generally called "contractual alimony."
Yes.
Among other things, generally if one of the following circumstances exists:
• A spouse is convicted of a crime or received deferred adjudication for a crime that also constitutes domestic violence within 2 years of the filing of the suit, or while the divorce is pending; or
• The spouses have been married for at least 10 years, and the financial resources of the spouse seeking maintenance are limited; and
• The spouse seeking maintenance.
o Is unable to be self-supporting due to an incapacitating physical or mental disability; or
o Has custody of a child who requires substantial and continuous care, making it impractical and inappropriate for that spouse to work outside the home; or
o Clearly lacks the ability to earn a living, which would meet that spouse's minimum reasonable needs.
Custody & Visitation
When you are separated and not divorcing, when you are divorcing or when a paternity or legitimation suit has been filed.
Except in the extreme circumstances (which must be discussed with an attorney), each party will have certain legal rights as a parent. The legal rights of each parent do not determine how much time that the parent will have with the child. Some legal rights may belong to both parents at all times (such as the right to consult with the child's schools or doctors); some legal rights may belong to both parents and apply when the child is with them (such as the right to discipline the child or provide routine medical care); and some legal rights will be given to only one parent (such as the right to say where the child will live or to consent to surgery that is not an emergency.) In some cases the court may determine where the child will live (i.e., Harris County) or what school the child will attend. Aside from the legal rights, each parent will have specific time either agreed upon or set out by the court when the child will be with them.
Not necessarily. Joint Managing Conservatorship (the Texas legal term for powers with regard to children) is about legal rights, duties, powers, privileges. The possession of the children is a matter that should be discussed at length with an attorney.
Yes. It is now the preference in Texas. However there can also be orders naming a sole managing conservator and a possessory conservator instead of Joint Managing Conservators. The specifics should be discussed with an attorney.
More than likely, your child will live the majority of the time with the parent who is given the legal right to determine where the child lives. That person is called the Joint Managing Conservator with the rights to determine the residence of the child. The other parent is also called the Joint Managing Conservator, or, in some circumstances, the Possessory Conservator.
Child-support will be discussed later on in this section, but generally answer is "no."
Generally, "not". No matter what the custody arrangement is called, the court's goal is to keep the child in a stable environment while encouraging a relationship with both parents. There are guidelines for visitation between each parent and the child which make provisions for weekends, spring break, Father's day, Mother's day, summer, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The times with the child are shared, especially during the holidays. There are guidelines for visitation if the parties live within 100 miles of each other and another set of guidelines if the parties live over 100 miles from each other. The second set of guidelines is sometimes called "long distance visitation" and give extra time at spring break and in the summer for the parent receiving visitation. These parties can always make their own agreement about visitation. The court will order specific times in case the parties cannot agree. The court will make provisions for visitation if the parent visiting and the child lives within 100 miles or outside 100 miles from one another. The basic difference is that, outside of 100 miles, the visiting parent gets every spring break and more time in the summer and special provisions are made for weekends. The specifics should be discussed with an attorney.
If the court has restricted the area where the child can live and you have to move outside that area, you must receive permission from the court first or reach an agreement with the other parent. If the court has not restricted where the child can live, you may move after giving notice to the other parent. If you move more that 100 miles away, the "long distance" visitation may take effect. If you are the "primary" parent and you move outside the area where you lived at the time of the order, you will be required to pick up the child at the end of each visitation period at the other parent's home. If it is too far to drive, you will be required to pay for the airline or bus ticket for the child. If the child is under a certain age, you may also be required to pay for the cost of the transportation of the adult who will have to accompany the child.
Child support is generally set out according to a formula. The specifics should be discussed with an attorney. Under Texas law, child support is presumed to be proper if set at the following percentages:
20% of net resources for 1 child;
25% of net resources for 2 children;
30% of net resources for 3 children;
35% of net resources for 4 children;
40% of net resources for 5 children;
Not less than 40% for 6 or more children.
Net resources include salary, commission, overtime, tips, bonuses, dividend income, self-employment income, net rental income, severance pay, retirement benefits, pensions, trust income, annuities, capital gains, social security benefits, unemployment benefits, interest income, gifts, prizes, spousal maintenance, and alimony. In determining net resources, the court shall take the total amount of the money received from the sources set out above and deduct social security taxes, federal taxes using only one deduction, state income tax, union dues, and the cost of the child's health insurance. The court will consider if the person paying the support has other children to support and may consider other factors, which should be discussed with an attorney. The person paying the child support will also probably be ordered to provide health insurance and pay some portion of the medical costs that are not paid by the insurance company. Net resources in excess of $6,000 may be excluded from consideration.
Possibly, but this area of the law is changing dramatically. You will need a skilled attorney to deal with this complex issue.
Paternity Issues
What to do if your child was born out of wedlock or if your husband is not the father or your child.
This is a lawsuit to determine a legal biological parent.
A paternity suit may be filed to establish the biological father or mother of the child.
Generally, the mother, the man claiming to be the father, the child (either individually or through a representative) or governmental agency may file the suit.
A suit can be filed at any time before the child is born and up until two years after the child is an adult, which is generally 18 years of age. This area of the law fluctuates often, and a skilled attorney should be consulted.
To establish the child's legal relationship with a biological parent and to establish child support, visitation, or custody. In certain cases, possibly to reimburse the biological mother for prenatal and postnatal expenses.
If the parties do not agree on the parentage, the Court may order blood test on the parties.
If the parties cannot agree, the Court will decide.
The lab will prepare a report for the court. If the test shows that the named parent is NOT the biological parent, the court will dismiss the case. If the test shows that the named parent is at least 99% sure to be the parent (no test is 100%), the court will decide custody, visitation, and support if the parties cannot agree.
Generally, the court may enter an order giving the child the father's last name. However, in some circumstances, the child will retain the mother's last name.
Under Texas law, the mother's husband is presumed to be the father of the child. A suit may be brought to have the biological father named as the legal father; which is called a paternity suit.
A paternity suit can be brought by the mother, the husband, the man who claims to be the father, a government agency, or a child-placing agency.
This type of suit may be brought if a husband and wife are divorced and one of the parties claim that the other spouse is not the biological parent of the child. This type of suit may also be initiated by the person claiming to be the biological parent. What if a biological father does not want to have anything to do with the child and wants to proceed to terminate his rights to the child? A proceeding for the termination of his rights may be filed by the mother, but a request by the biological father is frowned upon by the courts.
Of course. The case can be settled between the parties and their attorneys or through mediation, which is discussed in the "Mediation" section on collaborative law. If you settle without mediation, the Court may appoint an attorney to make sure that the child's interest is protected under the law. The Court must approve the settlement before the parties implement it.
A voluntary paternity (parentage) suit is filed when a parent acknowledges that he/she is the biological parent of a child and the parents are not married.
Modifying Custody, Visitation & Child Support
Yes, through a process called modification.
Custody (Conservatorship)Terms of visitation Child support, and other issues concerning the children of the parties.
A request to modify children's issues must be filed in the Court which last entered an order regarding the children unless the residence of the children has changed. Then new issues arise which should be discussed with an attorney.
Generally, any person who is affected by the Court Order can request a modification.
The grounds for a change of custody are complex and should be discussed with an attorney. Some of the factors the Court considers are changes in circumstances of the parties, or of the child. The Court must always evaluate whether or not the change would be in the best interest of the child.
Except in certain extreme circumstances, you must wait one year after the court entered the last custody Order.
If a motion to modify is filed, a child 12 years or older may file an Affidavit with the Court naming the parent with whom the child wishes to live. However, this choice is not binding on the Court because the Court must also consider technical grounds and the best interest of the child.
If the person having custody of the child under the last Court Order voluntarily leaves the child in the possession of another person for a period of more than 6 months and the court finds that this arrangement is in the best interest of the child, the court may modify custody upon the filing of the proper motion with the court.
The court may consider some of the following issues:
• A material and substantial change of circumstances since the last visitation order;
• The last visitation Order is unworkable;
• The person with custody moves outside of Texas or moves without giving proper notice to the person with visitation rights before the move;
• A person with visitation rights repeatedly fails to exercise visitation with the child.
Specifics should be discussed with an attorney.
Child support may be increased or decreased depending on any change in financial circumstances of the parties or a change in the needs of the child.
Family Violence: Protective Orders
A protective order is a Court Order issued to protect victims of family violence.
Family violence is an action or the treat of an action by a member of a "family" or a "household" against another member of the "family" or "household" that is intended to cause physical harm, bodily injury, assault or sexual assault, or reasonable fear of such action.
A "family" is anyone related by blood or marriage, people who used to be married to one another, people who are the parents of the same child, foster children and their foster parents, even if not living together.
A "household" is people living together even if they are not related, and this can include people who at one time, lived in the same household.
Any adult in a household can file for themselves or any other member of the household. If it is a child who needs protection, any adult can file for the child. The Attorney General, the District Attorney or the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services may also apply for any member of any household.
A protective order is effective for not more than one year, but circumstances regarding the application for a Protective Order must be discussed with an attorney to insure accuracy.
The District Attorney's Office, Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, or any law enforcement agency.
The Clerk of the Court sends a copy of the Order to the Chief of Police of the city where the member of the family or household protected by the order resides, if the person resides in a City, or to the appropriate Constable and the Sheriff of the county where the person resides, if the person does not reside in a city; and the Department of Public Safety. These are some of the ways that Notice of a Protective Order can be dispensed to the proper authorities for enforcement.
Enforcement of Court Orders
Enforcement is a lawsuit that is filed to force a person to obey a Court Order.
In the context of family law the court may enforce Orders dealing with the following matters:
• Child Support
• Refusal to present the child for visitation
• The property division ordered by a Court in a divorce
• Post-divorce spousal alimony (now called "maintenance").
Usually Court Orders will be enforced by "contempt." If a person is found in "contempt" of a court order, the judge may punish the person by ordering them to pay a fine, by sending them to jail, or both.
In order for a Court Order to be enforceable by contempt, it must use "command language" and be clear, specific, and unambiguous, so that the parties will know exactly what they have ordered to do or not to do. In the case of visitation, the court order must command the party who has the children to "surrender" them to the other party at the start of the visitation period, and order the party to return the children at the end of the visitation period. Additionally, the Order should identify the specific place where the children are to be exchanged, and state in specific detail the time when each period of visitation is to begin and end. In the case of child support, the court order must state the specific amount to be paid, to whom the payments are to be made, the date on which the payments are to begin, where the payments are to be made, and when the payments are to end (which will be either a specific date, or the occurrence of a specific event).
If a Court Order is not clear and specific enough to be enforced by contempt, the Court can clarify the Order. The Court will then give the party an opportunity to obey the Order.
When a party is found in contempt of Court, the judge can order the party to pay a fine and/or order that the party be confined to jail.
No. If the party is employed, sending the party to jail may not be the best alternative because the party will almost certainly lose his or her job. For this reason if the Judge sentences a party to jail, the Judge may suspend the jail sentence. If the Judge does so, the Judge will impose various conditions, which can include requiring the party to make specific payments (if the contempt involves failure to pay child support), ordering the party to pay attorney's fees, costs of court, and a fine. The Judge can also place the party on probation (now called "community supervision") and can include a requirement that the party obtain counseling on financial planning, budget management, alcohol and drug treatment, or other matters that may have caused the person to disobey the Court Order. When a jail sentence is suspended, the Judge may order the party to appear in court at a later date in order to determine if the party has obeyed the conditions of the suspended jail sentence. If not, the party may be sent to jail.
Yes. For example, in Divorce cases it is common for the Decree to include Orders requiring a party to pay specific debts, liabilities, or obligations. Such an Order is not enforceable by contempt because the law does not allow a party to be imprisoned for non-payment of a debt. Child support is enforceable because it is not considered to be a debt.
