Hudson County Child Support Enforcement Lawyer
Supporting a child financially is the responsibility of both parents, regardless of their marital status. A parent who does not pay the child support they owe may face wage garnishment, credit bureau reporting, asset seizure, and even jail time in severe cases. Enforcing a child support order can be done either administratively through the Office of Child Support Service (OCSS) or judicially through the court system.
Reach out to a Hudson County child support enforcement lawyer if you have either stopped receiving child support or are not receiving the right amount from your child’s other parent. Legal action or even the threat of legal action may be all that is necessary to secure financial stability for your child. A local child support attorney might be able to explain all your options to you and work on your behalf to recover the child support you are owed.
Child Support Enforcement Options
When a parent is having a child support issue, they should contact the Office of Child Support Services (OCSS), a unit of the Department of Human Services that provides a wide range of child support services for divorced, separated, and never-married parents, as well as custodial caregivers. The OCSS has the power to:
- Track down absent parents
- Establish paternity
- Process child support payments
- Collaborate with other states on child support matters
- Enforce child support obligations through a variety of mechanisms
If the OCSS is backlogged or is unable to provide the support the parent needs, a second option could be for them to hire a family law attorney serving Hudson County and attempt to enforce a child support order through the courts. To do this, parents must file a motion for contempt, as failing to comply with a child support order is deemed contempt of court. After the hearing and determining that one parent owes back child support, a judge could take actions including:
Order Income Withholding
If child support is not already being withheld from a parent’s paycheck, the judge could order wage garnishment. In this instance, that parent would never receive part of their wages as they would go straight to the custodial parent.
Inform Credit Bureaus
Unpaid child support of $1,000 or more can be reported to the major consumer credit bureaus. This can, in turn, make it difficult for the parent to buy a home, lease a car, or qualify for credit cards.
Suspend Licenses
Driving, occupational, professional, recreational, and sporting licenses could all be suspended if a parent who has been ordered to pay child support has not done so for six months or more.
Issue an Arrest Warrant
The judge has the discretion to issue an arrest warrant if the parent who is obligated to pay child support either does not appear for a court date or fails to comply with one or more court orders.
Modifying Child Support
Another option for handling issues with child support is to seek a modification. If a parent believes they are entitled to more child support than has been ordered, a family lawyer serving Hudson County could also help that parent pursue a child support modification. If the situation of either parent has significantly changed, it may be necessary to change the child support structure instead of simply enforcing what has not been working.
Contact a Hudson County Child Support Enforcement Attorney Today
You are entitled to the child support payments a court has ordered your child’s other parent to make. If you have stopped receiving them, or have stopped receiving the correct amount, it is important to remember that you have options. By contacting a Hudson County child support enforcement lawyer, you could hold your child’s other parent accountable for contributing to the wellbeing of your kid. Call today to schedule a consultation.
