Assistance for a Single Parent Not Getting Child Support
State laws require all parents to continue supporting their children when parental unions dissolve. Parents with financial means to pursue private lawsuits and contempt proceedings against parents who stop paying their court-ordered support payments do not need to rely upon free legal resources. However, the legal system also provides parents without the financial means to collect their child support payments.
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State Bar Associations
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Each state's bar association and its local bar associations provide public resources and attorney referral services to clients who need public assistance. Some state bar associations offer public assistance programs regularly through free question and answer seminars, call centers or with public law libraries available at no cost electronically. Some state bar associations offer reduced fee services through private attorneys who provide free initial consultations or sliding fee arrangements dependent upon the parent's income. State bar programs can also include prepaid legal service plans that provide parents with a reduced fee package for working with certain lawyers.
Legal Aid Clinics
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National legal aid societies and clinics provide free help to their local residents through volunteer attorneys. Legal aid clinics provide families with specialized child support experience through licensed attorneys dedicated to helping needy families. The national Legal Aid Society offers free public resources to help parents obtain literature to guide them through their state's family law courts. The Legal Aid Civil Practice Group helps parents with their family law issues and helps parents collect their child support payments. Pro bono assistance often depends upon the legal aid clinic's income guidelines, and each clinic may set its own income requirements.
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State Court Programs
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Many states provide public referrals and public education through its judicial branch. State court systems can provide parents with downloadable forms at no charge and provide them with assistance filing pro se motions or motions without attorney representation to enforce existing orders. Additionally, state court programs can include helping citizens complete court forms through volunteer attorneys or through the court clerk's office. Many states offer self-help libraries within the judicial branch and the state's bar association.
Health and Human Services Agencies
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The U.S. Department of Health is a federal agency that works with state agencies to help protect children. State agencies can help parents enforce their existing support agreements by issuing levies against nonpaying parents' bank accounts, placing a lien against personal and real property, pursue contempt orders and garnish wages. States can also work with the federal government to withhold tax refunds to satisfy child support delinquencies. Some states allow their revenue departments to collect child support enforcements instead of delegating this responsibility to the state's Health and Human Services Agency.
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References
- LawHelp.org: State Partners
- The Legal Aid Society: I Need Help
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Administration for Children and Families: The Office of Child Support Enforcement
- Florida Department of Revenue: Apply for Child Support Services
- Minnesota Government Judicial Branch: Legal Advice Clinics & Self-Help in the Courts
Resources
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