What happens if you break a court order?

Exactly what happens if a person breaks a court order varies depending on the person's state of residence and the court order broken. In most cases, a person who breaks a court order is held in contempt of court.

One common example of someone being in contempt of court after breaking a court order is if a person does not pay court-ordered child support. This could result in a person being sentenced to jail time. The incarceration could begin immediately upon being held in contempt. In addition, the person could end up with fines in addition to the past-due child support.