Rule 815.Enforcement of Terms of Orders, Judgments, or Decrees Other Than Custody

Part VIII. Judgments; Post-Decree and Post-Judgment Proceedings · Last amended January 1, 2025 · Last verified September 4, 2026

In one sentenceRule 815 provides a verified petition to enforce any court-ordered term other than custody, capped at 20 pages, with six available remedies.

Full Text of Rule 815

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

(a) Commencement. A party seeking enforcement of an order, judgment, or decree in a family law action may file a verified petition to enforce, alleging denial or interference with a court ordered term. The provisions of this rule are separate and distinct from a contempt proceeding under Rule 812, enforcement proceedings under Rules 814 and 816, and other remedies provided by law.

(b) Form of Petition to Enforce. The verified petition to enforce of no more than 20 pages must set forth:

(1) the date of the court order, judgment, or decree awarding the moving party the term sought to be enforced;

(2) how the responding party or their attorney was served with a copy of the order, judgment, or decree or had knowledge of it;

(3) the term of the order, judgment, or decree for which enforcement is sought;

(4) specific facts constituting a denial or interference with the order, judgment, or decree;

(5) the efforts the moving party has made to confer with the responding party regarding the relief sought;

(6) the relief sought; and

(7) attach a copy of the order, judgment, or decree with the clerk’s file stamp showing the date of filing. The attached order, judgment, or decree is excluded from the 20 page limitation.

(c) Service. The petition must be served upon all parties entitled to service along with a summons. The method of service will be the same as for an original family law action set forth in Rule 204 and service will be on the responding party rather than on the previous attorney of record for the party. If the petition to enforce is initiated in a family law action currently pending, the petition may be served as provided by Rule 205(c)-(e), unless the court orders personal service.

(d) Adjudication. A petition to enforce will be adjudicated in the same manner as an original family law action or may be expedited as directed by the court.

(e) Available remedies for enforcement of court ordered terms. After a hearing, if the court finds a party has failed to comply or interfered with the order, judgment, or decree, or if an ambiguity in the order requires clarification, the court may:

(1) award costs associated with the denial or interference;

(2) enter a money judgment upon which interest accrues;

(3) order compliance with the term by a specific time;

(4) clarify the terms to effectuate the order, judgment, or decree;

(5) impose a sanction, including attorney fees and costs, for bad faith conduct when a party willfully conducts improperly or acts with an improper purpose; and

(6) issue any other appropriate remedy as determined by the court.

End

Rule History

(Adopted June 12, 2023, effective July 1, 2023; amended December 13, 2024, effective January 1, 2025.)

Plain-English Summary

Rule 815 is the enforcement route for everything Rule 816 does not cover.

What it is for

A party may file a verified petition to enforce, alleging denial of or interference with a court ordered term. It is separate and distinct from contempt under Rule 812, from a Rule 814 money judgment, from Rule 816 parenting time enforcement, and from other remedies — so the routes are cumulative, not exclusive.

In practice it covers the terms of a decree that are neither money owed nor parenting time: turning over property, refinancing or removing a name from a debt, maintaining insurance, cooperating in paperwork, or complying with any other ordered obligation. And it reaches one thing the others do not — an ambiguity in the order requiring clarification.

What the petition must say

No more than 20 pages, and it must set out:

the date of the order, judgment or decree awarding the term;
how the responding party or their attorney was served or had knowledge of it;
the term for which enforcement is sought;
specific facts constituting the denial or interference;
the efforts the moving party has made to confer with the responding party about the relief sought;
the relief sought; and
an attached copy of the order with the clerk's file stamp showing the date of filing — excluded from the 20-page limit.

The fifth is the one people miss. Idaho asks what you did to resolve it before filing, the same instinct behind Rule 417(a)'s duty to confer.

Service and adjudication

Served with a summons, by the method for an original family law action under Rule 204, and on the responding party rather than the previous attorney of record. In a case currently pending, service may be under Rule 205(c)–(e) unless the court orders personal service. The petition is adjudicated as an original family law action or expedited as the court directs.

Six remedies

After a hearing, if the court finds a failure to comply or interference — or that an ambiguity requires clarification — it may award costs associated with the denial; enter a money judgment on which interest accrues; order compliance by a specific time; clarify the terms to effectuate the order; impose a sanction, including attorney fees and costs, for bad faith conduct where a party willfully acts improperly or with an improper purpose; and issue any other appropriate remedy.

Note that the sanction requires bad faith, while the first four do not. A party who misread an ambiguous decree can be ordered to comply and have the term clarified without being penalized.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I enforce with this rule?

Rule 815(a) allows a party seeking enforcement of an order, judgment or decree in a family law action to file a verified petition to enforce, alleging denial or interference with a court ordered term. Rule 816 governs parenting time separately.

What must the petition contain?

Rule 815(b) requires a verified petition of no more than 20 pages setting forth the date of the order, how the responding party was served or had knowledge of it, the term sought to be enforced, specific facts constituting denial or interference, the efforts made to confer, the relief sought, and an attached file-stamped copy of the order.

Do I have to try to resolve it first?

The petition must say what you did. Rule 815(b)(5) requires it to set forth the efforts the moving party has made to confer with the responding party regarding the relief sought.

What can the court order?

Rule 815(e) allows the court to award costs associated with the denial or interference, enter a money judgment on which interest accrues, order compliance by a specific time, clarify the terms, impose a sanction including attorney fees for bad faith conduct, and issue any other appropriate remedy.

What if the decree is simply ambiguous?

Rule 815(e) applies where an ambiguity in the order requires clarification, and Rule 815(e)(4) allows the court to clarify the terms to effectuate the order, judgment or decree.

Is this instead of contempt?

Not necessarily. Rule 815(a) provides that its provisions are separate and distinct from a contempt proceeding under Rule 812, from enforcement under Rules 814 and 816, and from other remedies provided by law.

Source & verification. Rule text and Rule History reproduced verbatim from the Idaho Rules of Family Law Procedure as published by the Idaho Supreme Court, current through amendments effective July 1, 2026. Promulgated by the Supreme Court of Idaho (Idaho Const. art. V, sec. 25). Last verified September 4, 2026. · Official text

Also known as: petition to enforceenforcement20 pagesclarificationbad faithinterferenceverified petition