I WAS AWARDED COUNSEL FEES IN MY DIVORCE ACTION BY THE JUDGE- BUT MY SPOUSE REFUSES TO PAY. WHAT ARE MY REMEDIES?

If you were awarded counsel fees in a divorce action and your spouse refuses to pay, your attorney can take one of several options:

1.      Contempt of Court: You can file a motion for contempt with the court. This requires proving that your spouse willfully disobeyed the court order to pay the counsel fees. If found in contempt, your spouse could face penalties such as fines or even jail time.

2.      Judgment Lien: You can place a lien on your spouse's real property, which will need to be satisfied if the property is sold or refinanced.

3.      Income Execution: Also known as wage garnishment, you can request the court to issue an income execution order, which directs your spouse's employer to withhold a portion of their wages until the counsel fees are paid.

4.      Bank Levy: You can ask the court to issue a bank levy, which allows you to seize funds directly from your spouse's bank accounts.