Child support can be a confusing concept, especially if you have never dealt with it before now. But what happens when the paying spouse lives in a completely different state than you? Child support arguments are enforced out of state. We will help you understand these matters and how they relate to your support case.
Enforcement Through the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
Since 1992, the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act has been used as a national standard for child support matters. It helps to enforce child support orders and agreements no matter what state you reside. Under this act, only one order from a state can be enforced at a time – meaning that other states must agree to the order. If a controlling order is made in California, it is required to be followed in each state to come.
When a controlling order has been made in a state, it is followed in the next state. If you are in Texas and your controlling order is in California, the order will come to your home state to enforce child support. They can garnish your wages, seize your property, suspend professional licenses, and revoke your driver’s license.
What You Can do
What can you personally do if the other parent lives in another state and is not paying support? Your first step, of course, is to obtain an order in the first place if you didn’t have one previously. Both parents will typically have to “attend” the hearing, which does not always call for an in-person visit – usually this is just done over the phone. From there, it will be decided how the other party will ensure that they are making proper payments. Because these cases can be complicated, you should call us to speak to us about your support case today, and how we can help.
