Enforcement

The Fulton County Child Support Enforcement Agency enforces support orders through both administrative and judicial processes. Some enforcement methods are automatic while others are used when the non-residential party fails to pay support or to carry health insurance as ordered. There are several enforcement methods available that are used in attempt to collect support.

The most common and successful enforcement tool is the Income Withholding Order which is issued to the non-residential party’s employer or financial institution instructing them to withhold the child support and send it to Child Support Payment Central (CSPC). Ohio law mandates that if the non-residential party is working and has attachable income the Income Withholding Order must be in place.

Other sources of income that can be attached are:

Unemployment Benefits
Workers Compensation Benefits
Checking or Savings Account
Disability or Sick Pay
Pensions/Retirement Pay
Lump Sum and /or Bonus Payments
Some Types of Social Security

Administrative Enforcement Tools

If a case is in ‘Default’, defined as failure to pay under a support order that is an amount greater than or equal to the amount of support payable under the support order for one month, there are several enforcement tools we can initiate. A Default Notice will issue to the non-residential party advising them of possible enforcement actions.

Enforcement Tools:

The past due balance can be submitted the Credit Reporting Agencies (CRA)
Current Professional License, Recreational License and/or Drivers’ License can be suspended.
State and Federal Tax Returns may be intercepted to pay towards the arrears.
FIDM (Freeze and Seize Bank Accounts)
Deny or Seize Passports
Face to Face Interviews

Judicial Enforcement Tools:

Judicial enforcement tools are used when the Administrative tools are not successful. These include the following:

Referral to Court for Contempt charges.
Felony Non-Support Prosecution.