Dawson v. Dawson

After children attain majority, can a divorced wife cause her former husband to be punished for contempt of court for nonpayment of child support money accrued prior to the majority of the children?

RCW 26.08.110 provides in part:. . . the court . . . shall make provision for . . . the custody, support and education of the minor children of such marriage.

The court’s jurisdiction to enforce support-money judgments is predicated upon the continued dependency of minor children. Ditmar v. Ditmar, 48 Wn.2d 373, 293 P.2d 759 (1956). Such orders may, of course, be enforced by civil contempt…