Jane's Law amends federal law to make it a federal crime for someone to travel across state or international borders with the intent to avoid paying a court-ordered property distribution to a spouse or former spouse in a divorce or separation case. The law applies to court-ordered distributions of more than $5,000 and carries a penalty of up to two years in prison, fines, or both. Anyone convicted under this law must also pay restitution equal to the full unpaid amount owed to their ex-spouse. This legislation addresses situations where individuals attempt to evade their divorce settlement obligations by fleeing to another state or country, giving federal authorities tools to prosecute and enforce these family law obligations that are currently handled primarily at the state level.
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