2014 Tennessee Code
Title 36 - Domestic Relations
Chapter 5 - Alimony and Child Support
Part 8 - Child Support Enforcement Powers of Department
§ 36-5-801 - Access to records for child support enforcement.

(a) For the purpose of establishing paternity, or for the establishment, modification or enforcement of orders of support under the child support program established under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, compiled in 42 U.S.C. § 651 et seq., the department of human services shall have the authority to:

(1) Subpoena, by an administrative subpoena issued by the commissioner, by any authorized representative of the commissioner, or by any contractor of the department, any financial or other information needed to establish, modify, or enforce an order of support;

(2) Require all entities in the state, including, but not limited to, for-profit, non-profit and governmental employers, to provide promptly, in response to a request or administrative subpoena from the department, its Title IV-D contractor, or by the Title IV-D agency or contractor of any other state, information on the employment, compensation, and benefits of any individual employed by such entity as an employee or as a contractor;

(3) (A) Obtain upon request, or by administrative subpoena if necessary, and notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, access, including automated access if available, to the following records of any state or local agency:

(i) Vital statistics, including records of voluntary acknowledgments, marriages, births, deaths and divorces;

(ii) State and local tax records and revenue records, including information about the residence address, employer of any individual, and the individual's income and assets;

(iii) Records of real and titled personal property;

(iv) Records of occupational and professional licenses, and records concerning the ownership and control of corporations, partnerships, and other business entities;

(v) Employment security records;

(vi) All records of any state or local agency administering any form of public assistance;

(vii) Records relating to the registration and titling of motor vehicles;

(viii) Records of state, county, or municipal correctional agencies;

(4) Obtain pursuant to an administrative subpoena, and notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, access to certain records held by private entities with respect to individuals who owe or are owed support or against or with respect to whom a support obligation is sought, consisting of the names and addresses of such individuals and the names and addresses of the employers of such individuals, as appearing in customer records of public utilities, including all electric, gas, telephone and water companies and cable television companies;

(5) Obtain upon request, and by administrative subpoena if necessary, and notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, information, including, but not limited to, information on assets and liabilities held by any financial institution regarding any individuals who owe, are owed or against or with respect to whom a support obligation is owed; and

(6) (A) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the department of human services, and any of its Title IV-D child support contractors, or the Title IV-D agency of any other state or territory, or any of their Title IV-D child support contractors and any federal agency conducting activities under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, shall have access to any information maintained by any agency of the state of Tennessee that maintains any system used to locate any individual for any purpose relating to registration of any motor vehicles or law enforcement activities.

(B) For purposes of this subdivision (a)(6), "system" shall be defined as any automated, computerized or electronic system used by any state law enforcement agency, or any state agency that otherwise maintains any records of motor vehicles, in which any information relative to the location or address of any individual persons are maintained by such agencies.

(C) The department of human services shall have rulemaking authority to prescribe the information required by this subdivision (a)(6).

(b) No administrative subpoena shall issue to individuals or entities, other than the obligor or obligee, pursuant to this part without prior review and approval of the necessity for its issuance by a licensed attorney employed by the department or its contractor.

(c) A request or administrative subpoena pursuant to this section may be contested by filing an appeal pursuant to part 10 of this chapter.