| Term |
Definition |
| Accrual |
Sum of child support payments that are due or overdue |
| administrative process |
method by which support orders are made and enforced by an executive agency rather than by courts and judges |
| arrearages |
unpaid child support payments for past periods owed by a parent who is ordered by a court to pay |
| assignment of support rights |
a person receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) agrees to turn over to the State any right to child support, including arrearages, paid or owed by the obligated parent, in exchange for receipt of TANF and other benefits |
| complaint |
written document filed in court in which the person initiating the action names the persons, allegations, and relief sought |
| consent agreement |
voluntary written agreement to pay support and/or health insurance |
| custodial parent |
person with whom the child lives; may be the parent, other relative, or someone else |
| default |
failure of a defendant to file an answer, response, or appeal in a civil case within a certain number of days after having been served with a summons and complaint |
| default judgment |
decision made by the court when the defendant fails to respond |
| defendant |
person against whom a civil or criminal proceeding is begun |
| enforcement |
obtaining payment of a child support or medical support obligation |
| Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) |
a service operated by the Office of Child Support Enforcement in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to assist the states in locating responsible persons for the purpose of obtaining child support payments; also used in cases of parental kidnapping related to custody and visitation determinations; FPLS obtains employer and home address information from Federal agencies |
| Federally-assisted Foster Care |
a program, funded in part by the federal government, under which a child is raised in a household by someone other than his or her own parent |
| garnishment |
a legal device whereby a portion of a person's wages or other assets is withheld and applied to payment of a debt |
| genetic testing |
analysis of inherited factors of mother, child, and alleged father, which can prove or disprove that a particular man fathered a particular child, involving blood testing or buccal mouth swabs |
| guidelines |
a standard method for setting child support obligations based on the income of the parent(s) and other factors as determined by law |
| immediate wage withholding |
automatic deductions from income which start as soon as the agreement for support is established |
| jurisdiction |
legal authority of a court over particular persons, certain types of cases, and in a defined geographical area |
| legal father |
a man who is recognized by law as the male parent |
| lien |
a claim upon property to prevent sale or transfer until a debt is satisfied |
| long-arm statute |
a law that permits one state to claim personal jurisdiction over someone who lives in another state |
| Medicaid program |
federally-funded medical support for low-income families |
| medical support |
legal provision for payment of medical and dental bills-can be linked to a parent's access to medical insurance |
| non-custodial parent |
parent who does not have physical custody of a child but who has a responsibility for financial support |
| obligation |
amount of money to be paid as support by the responsible parent and the manner in which it is to be paid |
| order |
direction of a magistrate, judge, or properly empowered administrative officer |
| paternity judgment |
legal determination of fatherhood |
| petitioner |
person who brings an action, complains or sues in a paternity or support case |
| State Parent Locator Service (SPLS) |
a service operated by the local Child Support Services Division to locate non-custodial parents. |
| tax offset |
amount of money taken from a parent's state or federal income tax refund to satisfy a child support debt |
| UIFSA |
Uniform Interstate Family Support Act- a law that provides a mechanism for establishing and enforcing support obligations when the non-custodial parent lives in one state and the custodial parent and child(ren) live in another |
| visitation |
the right of a non-custodial parent to visit or spend time with his or her children |
| wage-withholding |
procedure by which automatic deductions are made from wages or income to pay a debt such as child support; may be voluntary or involuntary |
