A child support order is an official order that establishes who must pay for a child’s basic support and medical care. Since the noncustodial parent spends less time with the child, he/she is responsible for providing monthly payments to the custodial parent.
Unfortunately, sometimes the noncustodial parent fails to consistently make these payments. So, what can the custodial parent do to enforce the child support order?
Child Support Enforcement in Utah
The Office of Recovery Services (ORS) is the child support enforcement division in the Utah Department of Human Services. This agency provides child support services for custodial and noncustodial parents throughout the state.
If a noncustodial parent continuously fails to pay child support, the ORS can do any of the following:
- Levy money from a noncustodial parent’s bank accounts
- Withhold income from a noncustodial parent’s paycheck
- File liens against a noncustodial parent’s assets and property (such as a house or vehicle)
- Intercept a noncustodial parent’s income tax refunds and lottery winnings
- File a lawsuit against a noncustodial parent
- If a noncustodial parent leaves the state, work with other state agencies to collect child support
- Suspend a noncustodial parent’s driver’s license
Child Support Enforcement through Family Court
The custodial parent can return to court and file an enforcement action, asking the judge to make the noncustodial parent adhere to the support order and pay the monthly amounts.
The judge can either fine or even send the delinquent parent to jail for “contempt of court” because he/she disobeyed a court order. In addition, the judge can also require the delinquent parent to pay a portion of owed child support as a condition for release.
If you are interested in modifying child support or enforcing an order in Salt Lake City, contact Lokken & Putnam, P.C. today at (801) 829-9783 and schedule a free consultation.
