Child custody orders are put in place to ensure that children are able to spend quality time with both of their parents. While most parents closely follow their child custody orders, there are parents that don't take the orders seriously, which can cause a number of issues. A child custody order signed off by a judge is a legal document that both parents are obligated to follow. Thus, if your ex is not abiding by the rules of your child custody order, you do have options, and you can take action to correct the problem.

If your ex is not following the child custody order that was signed off on in court, take the following steps:

Document Everything

When you're dealing with an ex who is not following the child custody order, it can be very frustrating and you may feel angry. However, getting mad most likely will not fix anything. Instead, you need to be calm and organized. One of the best things that you can do is document every incident that goes against what is outlined in the child custody order. Keep track of dates and times when these infractions occur. In the event that you try to talk to your ex about not following the child custody order, do so through text or via email so everything is in writing.

Hire a Family Law Attorney

In the event that your ex is not following the child custody order that is in place, the best thing that you can do is hire an experienced family law attorney to assist you. You can hire someone through websites such as schreyerlawfirm.com. A family law attorney can draft a letter to your ex informing him or her that he or she is breaking a court order and may face serious legal repercussions as a result. A strongly written letter from a family law attorney is often enough to make a person take the child custody order seriously. If having your attorney contact your ex does not solve the problem, your attorney can file motions with the court, and your ex may need to see a judge.

Do Not Retaliate

It is easy to get angry when your ex is blatantly ignoring the terms of your child custody order, but the last thing you want to do is try to retaliate. Don't make the mistake of breaking the child custody order yourself as a way of getting back at your ex, since doing so can land you in legal trouble yourself. Continue to follow the child custody order to the letter, and rest assured that your family law attorney will take the proper steps to solve the issues. 

Share