Child Support Laws in Catawba County, North Carolina
Child support laws assist custodial parents in receiving financial and other support for their children from non-custodial parents. In counties such as Catawba County in North Carolina, child support enforcement is administered by the state's division of Social Services. Enforcement of these laws also includes establishment of paternity and child support orders along with child support collection.
Other People Are Reading
-
Paternity
-
The laws in North Carolina--and, thus, in Catawba County--state that paternity must be established before a motion for child support can be filed. DNA tests are often administered to validate paternity. In the event that both parents cannot agree to the terms of a paternity test, a court-ordered paternity test can be arranged by a judge. Aside from this, Catawba County does permit fathers to acknowledge paternity at the time of birth. The father must sign the Affidavit of Parentage that is provided by the hospital. Once signed, the laws state that paternity is legally established. Thus, if there is any doubt as to paternity, the affidavit should not be signed and genetic testing should be obtained.
Child Support Orders
-
As of Jan. 1, 2007, the issuance of child support orders in Catawba County and the entire state of North Carolina no longer rests with the Superior Court. Instead, the Social Services office governs the issuance and enforcement of child support orders. As a result of this change in law, individuals must resort to the following options in regard to child support enforcement: to act pro se (or to file a motion and represent themselves), to hire an attorney, or to contract with child support enforcement. Individuals who receive Work First Family Assistance are automatically partnered with the Child Support Enforcement Agency and must cooperate with that office in order to continue receiving benefits.
-
Child Support Collection
-
Child support enforcement stipulates that any court order for child support must establish that income withholding is to occur immediately. In Catawba County, and throughout the state of North Carolina, failure to make payments can result in any of the following actions by the Child Support Enforcement Agency: the interception of state and federal income tax refunds, lien placement on personal or real property, reporting status to credit agencies, and the suspension of a driver's license or professional license. Additionally, Catawba County posts a "12 Most Wanted" list consisting of parents wanted by the state of North Carolina for failure to pay child support. Once found, the law permits the incarceration of these individuals.
-
References
- Photo Credit père et fils image by iMAGINE from Fotolia.com
