Nevada parenting plan violations — one parent refusing scheduled parenting time, consistently returning the child late, taking the child out of state without consent, or alienating the child from the other parent — are unfortunately common in Las Vegas family court cases. When a Nevada parenting plan or custody order is violated, the other parent has several enforcement tools available, ranging from informal resolution to contempt of court proceedings. Hauser Family Law represents Nevada parents whose court-ordered parenting time is being denied or interfered with, and pursues enforcement vigorously in Clark County Family Court.
Contempt of Court for Parenting Plan Violations
Under NRS 125C.200, a parent who willfully fails to comply with a court-ordered parenting plan may be held in contempt of the Family Court. A contempt motion requires filing a Motion for Order to Show Cause — the moving parent must document specific violations with dates, times, and circumstances showing willful non-compliance. The court then requires the non-complying parent to appear and explain why they should not be held in contempt. If contempt is found, sanctions can include: monetary fines; make-up parenting time (additional time awarded to compensate for denied visitation); attorney fees under NRS 125C.200(4) — the court may order the non-complying parent to pay the other parent’s attorney fees incurred in bringing the enforcement action; and in egregious cases, modification of the custody arrangement as a sanction for repeated interference. Contempt is a remedy of last resort — Nevada Family Courts generally prefer compliance over punishment, and judges often warn non-complying parents before imposing sanctions. However, documented patterns of willful denial create a strong record for modification of custody as well as contempt sanctions.
Make-Up Parenting Time and Other Remedies
Make-up parenting time — an order awarding additional parenting time to compensate for time denied through the other parent’s violation — is frequently available in Nevada Family Court as an alternative or supplement to contempt sanctions. The court has authority to craft creative make-up schedules: additional weekends, extension of holiday parenting time, or extended summer parenting time. For violations involving unilateral relocation (the other parent moved the child without court permission), emergency motions under NRS 125C.200 for immediate return of the child are appropriate and courts act quickly. For violations involving parental alienation — systematic undermining of the child’s relationship with the other parent — NRS 125C.0035(1)(i) requires the Family Court to consider willful refusal to allow a parent to participate in the child’s life as a factor in the best interest analysis. A documented pattern of alienating behavior can lead to modification of primary physical custody to the targeted parent. When violations occur and the police are called for a wellness check or parenting time enforcement, documenting the LVMPD report number is important evidence for the court. Hauser Family Law handles Nevada parenting plan enforcement and contempt cases promptly and aggressively to protect your parenting rights in Las Vegas.