What Procedures Can Be Used to Enforce Child Support Obligations?
Child support enforcement proceedings are often commenced in the Family Court. The petitioner may file a “violation petition” asking the court to take action against a respondent who fails to pay a support order. The petition must be served upon (delivered to) the respondent. A hearing is then held to decide whether the respondent has violated the court’s order. The hearing examiner may enforce the order by directing SCU to take the payments directly from the respondent’s paycheck, order the respondent to pay a lump sum toward back monies owed, or take other steps to collect the money owed. A respondent who falls behind in payments also risks having his or her driver’s license or professional and business licenses suspended. If the respondent is found to have willfully and voluntarily failed to pay a child support order, he or she may be jailed for up to six months, for contempt of court. back to questions 11.
