2023 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Title 23 - DOMESTIC RELATIONS
Chapter 43 - Support Matters Generally
Section 4351 - Costs and fees

(a) General rule.--If an obligee prevails in a proceeding to establish paternity or to obtain a support order, the court may assess against the obligor filing fees, reasonable attorney fees and necessary travel and other reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the obligee and the obligee's witnesses. Attorney fees may be taxed as costs and shall be ordered to be paid directly to the attorney, who may enforce the order in the attorney's own name. Payment of support owed to the obligee shall have priority over fees, costs and expenses.

(a.1) Annual fee.--(Expired).

(b) Lack of good cause for failure to pay on time.--If the court determines that the person subject to a child support order did not have good cause for failing to make child support payments on time, it may further assess costs and reasonable attorney fees incurred by the party seeking to enforce the order.

(Dec. 16, 1997, P.L.549, No.58, eff. Jan. 1, 1998; May 13, 2008, P.L.144, No.16, eff. imd.; July 2, 2019, P.L.336, No.47, eff. imd.)

2023 Expiration. Subsec. (a.1) expired July 15, 2023. See Act 47 of 2019.

2019 Amendment. Act 47 amended subsec. (a.1).

1997 Amendment. Act 58 of 1997 was suspended by Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure No. 1910.50(3), as amended May 31, 2000, insofar as it is inconsistent with Rule No. 1910.20 relating to the availability of remedies for collection of past due and overdue support.

Cross References. Section 4351 is referred to in section 4374 of this title.