19-6-33
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19-6-33.
(a)
The obligee or his or her agent shall serve an income deduction order and the
notice to the payor, and in the case of a delinquency a notice of delinquency,
on the obligor´s payor. The obligor must be notified that withholding has
commenced and how to contest the withholding.
(b)
Service of the initial income deduction order by or upon any person who is a
party to a proceeding under this Code section shall be by personal service, by
certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, return receipt requested, or by
regular mail. Service upon an obligor´s payor or successor payor under this
Code section shall be by regular first-class mail.
(c)(1)
When the income deduction is effective upon a delinquency in an amount equal to
one month´s support, the obligor may apply to the court to contest the
enforcement of the income deduction order on the ground of mistake of fact
regarding the amount of support owed pursuant to a support order, the amount of
arrearage of support, or the identity of the obligor. The obligor shall send a
copy of the pleading to the obligee and, if the obligee is receiving IV-D
services, to the IV-D agency. The filing of the pleading does not affect the
enforcement of an income deduction order unless the court enters an order
granting relief to the obligor. The payment of delinquent support by an obligor
upon entry of an income deduction order shall not preclude service of the income
deduction on the obligor´s payor.
(2)
When an obligor requests a hearing to contest enforcement of an income deduction
order, the court, referee, or administrative law judge after due notice to all
parties and the IV-D agency, if the obligee is receiving IV-D services, shall
hear the matter within 30 days after the application is filed and shall not
extend the time for hearing unless good cause for a later date is found by the
court, in which event the time for a hearing may be extended for up to 30 days.
The court, referee, or administrative law judge shall enter an order resolving
the matter within ten days after the hearing. A copy of this order shall be
served on the parties and the IV-D agency if the obligee is receiving IV-D
services.
(d)
When a court, court referee, or administrative law judge determines that an
income deduction order is proper pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code
section, the obligee or his or her agent shall cause a copy of the income
deduction order and a notice to payor, and in the case of a delinquency a notice
of delinquency, to be served on the obligee´s payors. A copy of the notice
to the payor, and in the case of a delinquency a notice of delinquency, shall
also be furnished to the obligor.
(e)
The notice to payor shall contain only information necessary for the payor to
comply with the income deduction order. The payor shall have the duties,
penalties, and rights specified in the notice. The notice shall:
(1)
Require the payor to deduct from the obligor´s income the amount specified
in the income deduction order, and in the case of a delinquency the amount
specified in the notice of delinquency, and to pay that amount to the obligee or
to a child support receiver, the IV-D agency, or other designee, as appropriate.
The amount actually deducted plus all administrative charges shall not be in
excess of the amount allowed under Section 303(b) of the federal Consumer Credit
Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 1673(b);
(2)
Instruct the payor to implement the income deduction order no later than the
first pay period that occurs after 14 days following the date the notice was
mailed;
(3)
Instruct the payor to forward, within two business days after each payment date,
to the family support registry the amount deducted from the obligor´s
income and a statement as to whether that amount totally or partially satisfies
the periodic amount specified in the income deduction order;
(4)
Specify that if a payor willfully fails to deduct the proper amount from the
obligor´s income, the payor is liable for the amount the payor should have
deducted, plus costs, interest, and reasonable attorney´s fees;
(5)
Provide that the payor may collect up to $25.00 against the obligor´s
income to reimburse the payor for administrative costs for the first income
deduction pursuant to an income deduction order and up to $3.00 for each
deduction thereafter. The payor of income may not deduct a fee for complying
with any order or notice for enrollment in a health benefit plan;
(6)
State that the income deduction order and the notice to payor, and in the case
of a delinquency the notice of delinquency, are binding on the payor until
further notice by the obligee, IV-D agency, or the court or until the payor no
longer provides income to the obligor;
(7)
Instruct the payor that, when the payor no longer provides income to the
obligor, the payor shall notify the obligee and shall also provide the
obligor´s last known address and the name and address of the obligor´s
new payor, if known, and that, if the payor willfully violates this provision,
the payor is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $250.00 for the first
violation or $500.00 for any subsequent violation. If the IV-D agency is
enforcing the order, the payor shall make these notifications to the agency
instead of to the obligee. Penalties shall be paid to the obligee or the IV-D
agency, whichever is enforcing the income deduction order;
(8)
State that no payor may discharge an obligor by reason of the fact that income
has been subjected to an income deduction order under Code Section 19-6-32 and
that a violation of this provision subjects the payor to a civil penalty not to
exceed $250.00 for the first violation or $500.00 for a subsequent violation.
Penalties shall be paid to the obligee or the IV-D agency, whichever is
enforcing the income deduction order, if any support is owing. If no support is
owing, the penalty shall be paid to the obligor;
(9)
Inform the payor that the income deduction order has priority over all other
legal processes under state law pertaining to the same income and that payment,
as required by the income deduction order, is a complete defense by the payor
against any claims of the obligor or his creditors as to the sum paid;
(10)
Inform the payor that if the payor receives income deduction orders requiring
that the income of two or more obligors be deducted and sent to the same
depository, he may combine the amounts paid to the depository in a single
payment as long as he identifies that portion of the payment attributable to
each obligor; and
(11)
Inform the payor that if the payor receives more than one income deduction order
against the same obligor, he shall contact the court for further instructions.
Upon being so contacted, the court shall allocate amounts available for income
deduction giving priority to current child support obligations up to the limits
imposed under Section 303(b) of the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act, 15
U.S.C. Section 1673(b).
(f)
At any time an income deduction order is being enforced, the obligor may apply
to the court for a hearing to contest the continued enforcement of the income
deduction order on the same grounds set out in subsection (c) of this Code
section, with a copy to the obligee and, in IV-D cases, to the IV-D agency. The
application does not affect the continued enforcement of the income deduction
order until the court enters an order granting relief to the obligor. The
obligee of the IV-D agency is released from liability for improper receipt of
moneys pursuant to an income deduction order upon return to the appropriate
party of any moneys received.
(g)
An obligee, or his agent, shall enforce income deduction orders against an
obligor´s successor payor who is located in this state in the same manner
prescribed in this Code section for the enforcement of an income deduction order
against a payor.
(h)
The provisions of Article 3 of Chapter 11 of this title, the 'Uniform Interstate
Family Support Act,' apply to all income deduction orders originating in this
state and directed to another state. In addition, the provisions of Article 3 of
Chapter 11 of this title, the 'Uniform Interstate Family Support Act,' apply to
all income withholding orders originating in another state and directed to this
state.
(i)
Certified copies of payment records maintained by a child support receiver or
the IV-D agency shall, without further proof, be admitted into evidence in any
legal proceeding in this state.
(j)
No payor shall discharge an obligor by reason of the fact that income has been
subjected to an income deduction order under Code Section 19-6-32. A payor who
violates this paragraph is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $250.00 for
the first violation or $500.00 for any subsequent violation. Penalties shall be
paid to the obligee or the IV-D agency, whichever is enforcing the income
deduction order, if any support is owing. If no support is owing, the penalty
shall be paid to the obligor.
(k)
When a payor no longer provides income to an obligor, he shall notify the
obligee and, if the obligee is an IV-D applicant, the IV-D agency and shall
provide the obligor´s last known address and the name and address of the
obligor´s new payor, if known. A payor who willfully violates this
subsection is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $250.00 for the first
violation or $500.00 for a subsequent violation. Penalties shall be paid to the
obligee or the IV-D agency, whichever is enforcing the income deduction order.