Title 19, Chapter 6, Section 32
( 19-6-32)
(a)(1) Except as provided for in paragraph (1) of subsection (a.1)
of this Code section, upon the entry of a judgment or order
establishing, enforcing, or modifying a child support obligation
or spousal support obligation through a court or an administrative
process, a separate order for income deduction, if one has not
been previously entered, shall be entered. If the obligee is an
applicant for child support services under Title IV-D of the
federal Social Security Act, the court, referee, or administrative
law judge shall furnish copies of the support order and the income
deduction order to the IV-D agency. (2) For all child support orders and spousal support orders enforced pursuant to subsection (d) of Code Section 19-11-6, the IV-D agency shall be authorized to issue an order for income deduction without need for any amendment to the order involved or any further action by the court or entity that issued it, provided that an opportunity for a hearing before a court, a referee of the court, or an administrative law judge is afforded. Such order may be issued electronically by the IV-D agency. (3) All child support orders issued or modified before July 1,
1997, which are not otherwise subject to income deduction shall
become subject to income deduction upon the accrual of the
equivalent of a 30 day arrearage, without the need for an
administrative or judicial hearing or order. (a.1)(1) All child support orders which are initially issued in
this state on or after January 1, 1994, and are not at the time of
issuance being enforced by the IV-D agency shall provide for the
immediate withholding of such support from the income and earnings
of the person required by that order to furnish support unless: (A) The court issuing the order finds there is good cause not to
require such immediate withholding; or (B) A written agreement is reached between both parties which
provides for an alternative arrangement. For purposes of this paragraph, any finding that there is good
cause not to require withholding must be based on at least a
written determination that implementing wage withholding would not
be in the best interest of the child and proof of timely payment
of previously ordered support in cases involving modification of
support orders. (2) All child support orders which are not described in subsection (a) of this Code section or in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall, upon petition of either party to revise that order under Code Section 19-6-19 or to enforce that order under Code Section 19-6-28, be revised to include provisions for withholding of such support from the wages of the person required by the order to furnish that support if arrearages equal to one month's support accrue but without the necessity of filing application for services under Code Section 19-11-6. (3) Copies of income deduction orders issued under this subsection
shall be served on the obligee, obligor, and the child support
IV-D agency.
(b) The income deduction order shall: (1) Direct a payor to deduct from all income due and payable to an
obligor the amount required by the support order to meet the
obligor's support obligation; (2) State the amount of arrearage accrued, if any, under the
support order and direct a payor to withhold an additional amount
until the arrearage is paid in full; (3) Direct a payor not to deduct in excess of the amounts allowed
under Section 303(b) of the federal Consumer Credit Protection
Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 1673(b), as amended; and (4) Direct the payor to send income deduction payment including administrative fees authorized by law to the family support registry as provided for in Code Section 19-6-33.1. (c) Income deduction orders shall be effective immediately unless
the court upon good cause shown finds that the income deduction
shall be effective upon a delinquency in an amount equal to one
month's support or a written agreement is reached between both
parties which provides for an alternative arrangement. (d) The income deduction order shall be effective so long as the
order of support upon which it is based is effective or until
further order of the court. (e) When the court orders the income deduction to be effective
immediately, the court shall furnish to the obligor a statement of
his or her rights, remedies, and duties in regard to the income
deduction order. The statement shall state: (1) All fees or interest which shall be imposed; (2) The total amount of income to be deducted for each pay period
until the arrearage, if any, is paid in full and state the total
amount of income to be deducted for each pay period thereafter.
The amounts deducted may not be in excess of that allowed under
Section 303(b) of the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act, 15
U.S.C. Section 1673(b), as amended; (3) That the income deduction applies to current and subsequent
payors and periods of employment; (4) That a copy of the income deduction order will be served on
the obligor's payor or payors; (5) That the enforcement of the income deduction order may only be
contested on the ground of mistake of fact regarding the amount of
support owed pursuant to a support order, the arrearages, or the
identity of the obligor; and (6) That the obligor is required to notify the obligee and, when
the obligee is receiving Title IV-D services, the IV-D agency
within seven days of changes in the obligor's address and payors
and the addresses of his or her payors. (f) When the income deduction is effective upon a delinquency in an
amount equal to one month's support, or when an order for spousal or
child support was in effect prior to July 1, 1989, the obligee may
enforce the income deduction by serving notice of delinquency on the
obligor. The notice of delinquency shall state: (1) The terms of the support order; (2) The period of delinquency and the total amount of the
delinquency as of the date the notice is mailed; (3) All fees or interest which may be imposed; (4) The total amount of income to be deducted for each pay period
until the arrearage and all applicable fees and interest are paid
in full and the total amount of income to be deducted for each pay
period thereafter. The amounts deducted may not be in excess of
that allowed under Section 303(b) of the federal Consumer Credit
Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 1673(b), as amended; (5) That a copy of the notice of delinquency will be served on the
obligor's payor or payors, together with a copy of the income
deduction order. The obligor may apply to the court to contest
enforcement of the order once the notice of delinquency has been
served. The application shall not affect the enforcement of the
income deduction order until the court enters an order granting
relief to the obligor; (6) That the enforcement of the income deduction order may only be
contested on the ground of mistake of fact regarding the amount of
support owed pursuant to a support order, the arrearages, or the
identity of the obligor; and (7) That the obligor is required to notify the obligee of the
obligor's current address and current payors and the address of
current payors. All changes shall be reported by the obligor
within seven days. If the IV-D agency is enforcing the order, the
obligor shall make these notifications to the agency instead of to
the obligee. The failure of the obligor to receive the notice of delinquency does
not preclude subsequent service of the income deduction order on the
obligor's payor. A notice of delinquency which fails to state an
arrearage does not mean that an arrearage is not owed. (g) At any time, any party, including the IV-D agency, may apply to
the court, referee of the court, or administrative law judge to: (1) Modify, suspend, or terminate the order for income deduction
because of a modification, suspension, or termination of the
underlying order for support; or (2) Modify the amount of income deducted when the arrearage has
been paid. |