Whether you're a payor or recipient in a child support arrangement, you've probably wondered how child support orders are enforced in California at some point. Understanding how professionals at the California Child Support Services (CCSS) department enforce child support orders can help you know what to expect from your case and take the necessary steps to request or address enforcement for your support order.
At Gille Kaye Law Group, we can help you pursue a positive outcome in an ongoing child support case or modify an existing support order. To schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys and receive the legal counsel you deserve, contact us online or via phone at (626) 340-0955.
Who Enforces Child Support Delinquency in CA?
In California, the California Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) is responsible for ensuring child support payors and recipients adhere to the terms of child support orders.
You can file a child support case by:
- Contacting your local child support agency and asking to open a case with them;
- Using child support enforcement forms found on the California Courts' website, or;
- Hiring a private attorney to represent you in a child support enforcement case.
In most cases, working with an attorney will provide you with the most protection and enable you to achieve your desired results expediently, ultimately saving you time and money.
The DCSS can work with California courts to enforce a child support order in different ways:
- A court can hold a delinquent payor in contempt, giving them jail time or forcing them to repay missed support;
- A court can place liens on a delinquent payor's property or garnish an income source to repay missed support;
- A court can fine a delinquent payor, although this option is less common because courts typically prefer that any potential money used in fines just go to the child support recipient.
Generally, courts will attempt to impose penalties that are not fines or jail time on delinquent child support payors, recognizing that doing so may only make it more difficult for delinquent payors to pay outstanding child support.
If you are a child support payor who is delinquent on your payments, you should speak with a professional at DCSS about your case. You may be able to file a child support order modification case. If the court assesses the circumstances of your case and finds that they have changed substantially since the establishment of the child support order and you can no longer feasibly pay for support, you may be able to change the terms of your child support arrangement.
If you need help enforcing a child support order, our lawyers here at Gille Kaye Law Group stand ready to assist you, representing your parental rights to help you achieve an optimal outcome in your case.
To schedule a consultation with our team, contact us online or via phone at (626) 340-0955.