Can I file for contempt of court for a violation of a ruling no longer active?

Kaun

New Member
Jurisdiction
Washington
Hi. Washington state.

My ex wife got a court order limiting me to supervised visits with my child. She refused to let me see the child although the court allowed it. Meanwhile, there is a different ruling in place.

My general question is: Can one file a motion for contempt of court for a ruling no longer active?

I guess I could not ask in court for the other party to be ordered to comply with the no longer valid ruling. But could I ask that they be held in contempt and be punished or ask for compensation.

Is that possible or are contempt of court motions only valid for active rulings?

Thank you
 
Your question is a bit confusing, but it seems you want the court to take some punitive action over something you already know is no longer in effect.
An order that has expired can not be enforced as the people the order had applied to are no longer bound by it.
 
Hi. Washington state.

My ex wife got a court order limiting me to supervised visits with my child. She refused to let me see the child although the court allowed it. Meanwhile, there is a different ruling in place.

My general question is: Can one file a motion for contempt of court for a ruling no longer active?

I guess I could not ask in court for the other party to be ordered to comply with the no longer valid ruling. But could I ask that they be held in contempt and be punished or ask for compensation.

Is that possible or are contempt of court motions only valid for active rulings?

Thank you


You need to hire a lawyer in order to create a visitation order.

Talk to a lawyer, he or she will discuss specifics with you and COSTS.

Good luck...
 
If a ruling is not in effect, then no one is required to follow it. If no one is required to follow it, then they cannot be held in contempt for not doing so. That's just common sense.
 
If a ruling is not in effect, then no one is required to follow it. If no one is required to follow it, then they cannot be held in contempt for not doing so. That's just common sense.
I understand. I just thought that because they violated the order in the past I had some sort of recourse. Thank you
 
My ex wife got a court order limiting me to supervised visits with my child. . . . Meanwhile, there is a different ruling in place.

Huh?

Can one file a motion for contempt of court for a ruling no longer active?

Depends on the relevant facts and circumstances, which are anything but clear based on what you posted.

could I ask that they be held in contempt and be punished or ask for compensation.

You can ask for anything you like, but I doubt that's really what you wanted to ask.

If the court entered Order #1 on January 1, 2017 and, on July 1, 2017, Susan violated that order, the possibility exists that she may be held in contempt. That the court entered Order #2 on August 1, 2017 doesn't change that fact.
 
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