19-6-32
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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. The IV-D agency shall also be authorized
to issue a National Medical Support Notice to enforce the medical support
provisions of such orders, provided that an opportunity for a hearing pursuant
to Code Section 19-11-27 is afforded. Such orders or notices may be issued
electronically by the IV-D agency. The IV-D agency shall issue an order for
income deduction or, when appropriate, a National Medical Support Notice within
two business days after the information regarding a newly hired employee is
entered into the centralized employee registry pursuant to Code Section
19-11-9.2 and matched with an obligor in a case being enforced 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.