Saudi Gazette report TAIF — The new executive regulation for judges that will be implemented within two weeks will attempt to limit instances in which fathers avoid paying child support in personal status cases. Severe punishments have been outlined for anyone who refused to obey court verdicts issued in this connection, Al-Madinah Arabic daily reported Friday. The regulation includes imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months for any parent who refuses to abide by court verdicts regarding child custody, guardianship or visitation rights. An official source at the Ministry of Justice said according to the new regulation, a verdict in which a wife is asked to return to her husband's home cannot be implemented by force if her return is contingent on the husband fulfilling his financial commitments. “In such cases, the husband will be forced to fulfill his financial obligations toward his wife. If the verdict issued against the wife to return to her husband's home is bound by financial commitments that the husband has to fulfill and the husband has carried out this commitment while the wife has not fulfilled her commitment, then the husband has the right to demand implementation before the judge,” the source explained on condition of anonymity. The source added that if a verdict requires a man make regular payments to his ex-wife, such as alimony for example, the money will automatically deducted periodically from his bank account. “If he does not have a bank account but has money with a third party, then the money will be periodically deducted in favor of the wife,” he said.
