Enforcement
The Columbiana County Child Support Enforcement Agency enforces support orders through both administrative and judicial processes. Some enforcement methods are automatic while others are used when the Non-Custodial Party fails to pay support as ordered or fails to carry health insurance as ordered. There are several enforcement methods available that we use in our attempt to collect support.
The most common, and most successful, enforcement tool is the Income Withholding Order which is issued to the Non-Custodial Party’s employer or financial institution instructing them to withhold the child support and send it to CSPC. Ohio law mandates that if the Non-Custodial Party is working and has attachable income the Income Withholding Order must be in place.
Other sources of income that can be attached are:
- Unemployment Benefits
- Workers Compensation Benefits
- Checking or Savings Account
- Disability or Sick Pay
- Pensions/Retirement Pay
- Lump Sum and /or Bonus Payments
- Some Types of Social Security
Administrative Enforcement Tools
If a case is in ‘Default’, defined as failure to pay under a support order that is an amount greater than or equal to the amount of support payable under the support order for one month, there are several enforcement tools we can initiate. A Default Notice will issue to the Non-Custodial Party advising them of possible enforcement actions.
Enforcement Tools:
- The past due balance can be submitted the Credit Reporting Agencies (CRA)
- Current Professional License, Recreational License and/or Drivers’ License can be suspended.
- State and Federal Tax Returns may be intercepted to pay towards the arrears.
- FIDM (Freeze and Seize Bank Accounts)
- Deny or Seize Passports
- Face to Face Interviews
Judicial Enforcement Tools:
Judicial enforcement tools are used when the Administrative tools are not successful. These include the following:
- Referral to Court for Contempt charges. Case must be in default.
- Felony nonsupport (Grand Jury) prosecution may be initiated if the Non-Custodial Party owes arrearages, and has failed to make a payment for 26 out of the last 104 weeks.