Sec. 33.

(1) The court may find a payer in contempt if the court finds that the payer is in arrears and if the court is satisfied that the payer has the capacity to pay out of currently available resources all or some portion of the amount due under the support order. In the absence of proofs to the contrary introduced by the payer, the court shall presume that the payer has currently available resources equal to 4 weeks of payments under the support order. The court shall not find that the payer has currently available resources of more than 4 weeks of payments without proof of those resources by the office of the friend of the court or the recipient of support. Upon finding a payer in contempt of court under this section, the court may immediately enter an order doing 1 or more of the following:

(a) Committing the payer to the county jail.

(b) Committing the payer to the county jail with the privilege of leaving the jail during the hours the court determines, and under the supervision the court considers, necessary for the purpose of allowing the payer to go to and return from his or her place of employment.

(c) Committing the payer to a penal or correctional facility in this state that is not operated by the state department of corrections.

(d) If the payer holds an occupational license, driver’s license, or recreational or sporting license, conditioning a suspension of the payer’s license, or any combination of the licenses, upon noncompliance with an order for payment of the arrearage in 1 or more scheduled installments of a sum certain. A court shall not order the sanction authorized by this subdivision unless the court finds that the payer has accrued an arrearage of support payments in an amount greater than the amount of periodic support payments payable for 2 months under the payer’s support order.

(e) Ordering the payer to participate in a work activity. This subdivision does not alter the court’s authority to include provisions in an order issued under this section concerning a payer’s employment or his or her seeking of employment as that authority exists on August 10, 1998.

(f) If available within the court’s jurisdiction, order the payer to participate in a community corrections program established as provided in the community corrections act, 1988 PA 511, MCL 791.401 to 791.414.

(g) Except as provided by federal law and regulations, ordering the parent to pay a fine of not more than $100.00. A fine ordered under this subdivision shall be deposited in the friend of the court fund created in section 2530 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.2530.

(2) If the court enters an order under subsection (1)(d) and the payer fails to comply with the arrearage payment schedule, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, the court shall order suspension of the payer’s license or licenses with respect to which the order under subsection (1)(d) was entered and shall proceed under section 30.

History: 1982, Act 295, Eff. July 1, 1983 ;– Am. 1996, Act 239, Eff. Jan. 1, 1997 ;– Am. 1996, Act 336, Eff. Jan. 1, 1997 ;– Am. 1998, Act 334, Imd. Eff. Aug. 10, 1998 ;– Am. 2002, Act 567, Eff. June 1, 2003 ;– Am. 2004, Act 206, Eff. Feb. 28, 2005