2006 Code of Virginia § 20-88.50 - Duties of support enforcement agency

20-88.50. Duties of support enforcement agency.

A. A support enforcement agency of the Commonwealth, upon request, shallprovide services to a petitioner in a proceeding under this chapter. Asupport enforcement agency of the Commonwealth that is providing services tothe petitioner shall:

1. Take all steps necessary to enable an appropriate tribunal in theCommonwealth or another state to obtain jurisdiction over the respondent;

2. Request an appropriate tribunal to set a date, time, and place for ahearing;

3. Make a reasonable effort to obtain all relevant information, includinginformation as to income and property of the parties;

4. Within two days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays,after receipt of a written notice in a record from an initiating, responding,or registering tribunal, send a copy of the notice to the petitioner;

5. Within two days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays,after receipt of a written communication in a record from the respondent orthe respondent's attorney, send a copy of the communication to thepetitioner; and

6. Notify the petitioner if jurisdiction over the respondent cannot beobtained.

B. A support enforcement agency of the Commonwealth that requestsregistration of a child support order in the Commonwealth for enforcement orfor modification shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that:

1. The order to be registered is the controlling order; or

2. If two or more child support orders exist and the identity of thecontrolling order has not been determined, a request for such a determinationis made in a tribunal having jurisdiction to do so.

C. A support enforcement agency of the Commonwealth that requestsregistration and enforcement of a support order, arrears, or judgment statedin a foreign currency shall convert the amounts stated in the foreigncurrency into the equivalent amounts in U.S. dollars under the applicableofficial or market exchange rate as publicly reported.

D. A support enforcement agency of the Commonwealth shall issue or request atribunal of the Commonwealth to issue a child support order and anincome-withholding order that redirects payment of current support, arrears,and interest to a support enforcement agency of the Commonwealth if requestedto do so by a support enforcement agency of another state pursuant to 20-88.62.

E. This chapter does not create a relationship of attorney and client orother fiduciary relationship between a support enforcement agency or theattorney for the agency and the individual being assisted by the agency.

(1994, c. 673; 1997, cc. 797, 897; 2005, c. 754.)