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Who Enforces a Child Support Order? There are two ways to get and/ or seek enforcement of a child support order when a noncustodial parent won’t pay a fair share of expenses. An order can be pursued through civil court or an administrative order can be set up through Child Support Enforcement. You can hire an attorney, or you can ask for help through the Child Support Enforcement Program— generally the less costly option. It is important to know what costs and fees you will be expected to pay, if any, before entering into an agreement with Child Support Enforcement. If you receive TANF or medical support from the state, you automatically get help with child support, and you are required to cooperate with the State in collecting it. You or your child may be exempted from this requirement if you are a victim or potential victim of domestic abuse. Please let your worker know immediately if that is the case. In general, states must help find absent parents, prove paternity, help custodial parents get an order for medical and financial support, help update orders that are no longer reasonable, and enforce any order that is in effect. Child Support Enforcement varies by state, and there are new rules to resolve which state has enforcement responsibility when parents live in two different states. States are required to cooperate with each other in enforcing out-of-state orders.
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