Enforce previous court decrees – or defend against bad ones – to guarantee a fulfilling life for you and your loved ones.
What Does “Contempt of Court” Mean?
Maryland courts make decrees and orders all the time. A judge or Court representative can order someone to show up for a hearing, offer documents as part of an investigation, or pay another party a set sum.
Anyone who fails to follow a court order or directive is “held in contempt of court.” Cases which may be considered contempt of court include:
- Refusing to surrender documents or cooperate with the opposing party during a divorce;
- Failure to pay court-ordered payments, including child support and alimony; and
- Violating court-ordered freezes on bank accounts and other financial assets.
Punishments for contempt of court range from simple fines to years’ worth of jail time, depending on the circumstances.
How Can I Enforce a Court Order?
Courts are extremely backed up, especially considering the Covid-19 outbreak that closed courts for months. They may not realize someone is in contempt of a court order or decree if not notified by the offending party.
Therefore, you or your lawyer can file a “motion for contempt of court.” This request for legal action by the Court alleges that the offending party has broken the court-ordered agreement.
As part of the motion, your lawyer can also submit documents and other proof to the Court to support your claim. This evidence may be:
- Proof of good-faith efforts to collect court-ordered payments;
- Demonstrated reminders and offered help to attend court-ordered hearings; or
- Dated receipts showing excessive spending from accounts ordered untouched.
Your lawyer can best advise how to proceed with a motion for contempt of court to protect your and your family’s rights.
How Can I Fight a Contempt of Court Charge?
Contempt cases are rarely black-and-white. People who find themselves accused of contempt of court may not have meant to violate court orders, but instead:
- Lost their jobs and failed to tell the court about their change in circumstances;
- Made every effort to attend court hearings and meetings, but could not do so due to circumstances outside of their control; or
- Accidentally messed up the process and legal protocols!
People are flawed human beings who deserve respect, compassionate understanding, and competent defense.
If you find yourself the target of a contempt of court charge, the last thing you want to do is dismiss it as unimportant – even if what it asserts is wrong. By ignoring a contempt of court allegation, you will dig yourself into a deep legal hole which will require much time and financial resource to get out of.
Immediately consult with a lawyer as to what you should – and should not – do in the face of a contempt of court charge, and be prepared to demonstrate your willingness to abide by the Court’s decisions however your legal representation advises you to do so.
“The Crawford Law firm took our [family law] case at the last minute and represented us with dignity. [They] made us feel confident in their representation and the outcome of our trial.”
Find out what it’s like to work with us.

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Your Legal Team

Florian Tabaku
Managing Attorney
Clients looking for a dedicated, hard-working, thorough, and tough advocate that offers personalized attention for their unique case should ask for Florian. When Flo handles your case, expect professional, responsive, and proactive representation that gets results.

Zachery Groves
Domestic Partner and Senior Litigator
For your domestic case, the buck stops with Zack Groves. Zack's priority is to maintain your family and quality of life, no matter what your case entails, with individualized representation.

Timothy Sutton
Senior Litigator
Timothy's current clients on domestic litigation leverage his nearly 20 years' experience litigating in state, federal, and administrative courts throughout Maryland. Work with Timothy if you want a legal ally who can truly connect with you and your case to achieve your desired outcome.

Abigail Beichler
Supervising Attorney
With a legal focus on domestic cases and a background in criminal defense, Abbey is determined to see justice done for individuals in their time of greatest need, fueled by her passion for thoughtful, mission-oriented preparation. With Abbey at your side, know that your case will be handled with the attention and respect it deserves.

James E. Crawford
Founding Partner and Senior Litigator
Jim believes that the power to change the life of even one client is worth more than any amount of money or prestige. That's why he's spent just about every day of his working career in a Maryland courtroom, giving clients their opportunity for justice.
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