The Columbiana County Child Support Enforcement Agency enforces support orders administratively and judicially. Enforcement methods are used when the non custodial party fails to pay support as ordered or fails to carry health insurance as ordered. There are several enforcement methods used administratively and judicially.
The most common enforcement tool is the income withholding order which is issued to the non custodial party’s employer to have child support deductions made. Ohio law mandates that if the Non-Custodial parent 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
· Bank withholding order to a checking or savings account
· Disability or sick pay
· Pensions/retirement pay
· Lump sum and /or bonus payments
Administrative enforcement tools that may be used are:
· Default notice to impose an arrearage payment to collect on arrears due.
· Submitting support arrears to the Credit Reporting Agency (CRA)
· Suspending current professional license and/or drivers license.
· Interception of State and Federal taxes to help collect on arrears.
· FIDM (Freeze and seize bank accounts)
· Deny or seize passports
· Face to face interviews
Judicial methods of enforcement are as follows:
- Referral to Court for Contempt charges
· Felony nonsupport (Grand Jury) prosecution may be initiated if the non custodial party owes arrearage of at least $10,000.00 and has missed payment for 26 consecutive weeks.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL:
An Intergovernmental case (previously known as an Interstate case) is a case which involves more than one state, country or a tribal entity. Federal law requires Child Support Enforcement Agencies to assist each other when establishment and/or enforcement services are necessary on Intergovernmental cases. UIFSA, Uniform Intergovernmental Family Support Act, governs the Intergovernmental procedures.
A case may be defined as an Intergovernmental case the following situations:
· One party resides in Ohio and the other resides in another state
· Both parties reside in Ohio but the order originated in another state
· Neither party resides in Ohio but the order originated in Ohio