need to know the right thing to do

What is the name of your state? il

what happens if i refuse to pay spouces attorney fees?
judge ordered me to pay spouces attorney fees, but I dont even have funds to pay for my own attorney.
is it just a fine? - jail? whats the bottom lineWhat is the name of your state?

rckhenning said:

What is the name of your state? il

what happens if i refuse to pay spouces attorney fees?
judge ordered me to pay spouces attorney fees, but I dont even have funds to pay for my own attorney.
is it just a fine? - jail? whats the bottom lineWhat is the name of your state?

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Refusal to pay any court ordered amount can and usually does result in a finding of contempt. It can mean fines, purges, and yes, jail.

If you cannot pay in a lump sum, make payments every week toward the fees. It might not stop a contempt hearing, but it will certainly help you in court.

Gracie3787 said:

Refusal to pay any court ordered amount can and usually does result in a finding of contempt. It can mean fines, purges, and yes, jail.

If you cannot pay in a lump sum, make payments every week toward the fees. It might not stop a contempt hearing, but it will certainly help you in court.

Click to expand...

I have no reason to think this is relevant here, but one could also go back to court to ask for the order to be changed. The circumstances would have to be fairly extreme. For example, if the court ordered you to pay the attorney's fees and the attorney sent a bill for $500,000 in a simple, uncontested divorce, I'd certainly be back in front of the judge to have the order changed. But until the order is changed, you're obligated to pay.

I doubt that it happens often, but I wanted to throw it in for completeness.