Divorce statutes and judicial precedents for family law issues are different in every state. In Connecticut, state law determines how parents share their parental rights and responsibilities. State statutes govern the division of overall parenting time and financial responsibility for the children in the family.
The courts can order one parent to pay support to the other based on discrepancies in income and the overall division of parenting time. Usually, child support enforcement is a simple process involving the laws of one state. However, many people receiving child support have likely heard stories about parents who leave the state where they live to avoid their obligations to their children. Do parents have to worry about the other adult in the family crossing state lines to avoid child support obligations?
Interstate support enforcement is possible
Connecticut, like most other states, has adopted statutes that allow for interstate child support cooperation and enforcement. Long gone are the days when one parent can simply move from Connecticut to Rhode Island and wash their hands of their financial obligation to their children.
Provided that the parent receiving support knows where the other parent lives or where they work, they can request interstate child support enforcement. The exact process involved depends on the other jurisdiction involved and the timing of the relocation.
Communication with the other parent can also have an impact on the process. The courts may be more aggressive about enforcement and collection efforts when one parent has clearly tried to avoid their responsibilities.
Some parents are eager to resume their child support payments after moving to avoid going into arrears. They may even cooperate with their co-parents about restarting child support payments once they start a new job.
Other parents may go to great lengths to avoid their financial obligations to their children. In scenarios where they avoid communications, cease visiting their children and leave the state to avoid their child support obligations, aggressive enforcement may be necessary. Enforcement efforts can include wage garnishment and even tax return interception.
Parents dealing with child support delinquency may need help asserting themselves and getting the support that their children require. Discussing the relocation of the other parent and the impact their move has had on child support is a good starting point for enforcing support orders across state lines.