How does a purge payment work? I am going to court today my sons dad hasn't paid child support since October. What will happen

A purge condition in child support is usually when the paying parent is required to make a lump sum payment against arrears in order stop the contempt. The court often suspends the paying parents potential jail time to give him or her time to come up with the purge payment amount. I am not sure why you are going to court. If you are going to court on the first contempt hearing, the court will likely set purge condition payment and due date. If you are going to court because the paying parent refused to make the purge payment, the court will determine if that parent has the ability to make the lump sum payment. If he or she has the ability to make the payment, then he or she may be placed in jail until they make the payment. There is more information on contempt proceedings in Allegheny County in the attached Court Manual.

Typically, the court will sentence him to incarceration but allow him to purge himself of contempt if he makes a lump sum payment within a certain period of time. If he does not comply, a bench warrant will be issued for his arrest and he will have to serve his sentence until he pays the purge amount.