IF MY SPOUSE KEEPS MY CHILDREN FROM ME, CAN I WITHHOLD CHILD SUPPORT?
The short answer is “No”. Custody and support, while interrelated, are
completely separate issues. If you have a child support order, you are obligated to pay
despite lack of contact with your child. The converse is also true, a lack of payment of
support does not sanction the withholding of custody.
The Courts are steadfastly against methods of “self-help” utilized by litigants. If
you have a Custody or Support Order, comply with them or ask to modify them. An ‘eye
for an eye’ mentality will be dealt swiftly with by the Court, even if you think you have
great reasons to deviate or violate a Court Order.