Civil Court Rules and Jury Charges

Kenneth Vercammen & Associates, P.C.
2053 Woodbridge Avenue - Edison, NJ 08817

Monday, December 7, 2009

NJSA 2A:17-56.8 Enforcement of child support orders.

NJSA 2A:17-56.8 Enforcement of child support orders.

2.Every complaint, notice or pleading for the entry or modification of a support order and every court order which includes child support shall include a written notice to the obligor stating that the child support provision of the order shall, and the health care coverage provision may, as appropriate, be enforced by an income withholding upon the current or future income due from the obligor's employer or successor employers and upon the unemployment compensation benefits due the obligor and against debts, income, trust funds, profits or income from any other source due the obligor except as provided in section 3 of P.L.1981, c.417 (C.2A:17-56.9). The written notice shall also state that the driver's license and professional or occupational licenses, or recreational or sporting license in accordance with P.L.1996, c.7 (C.2A:17-56.41 et seq.)held or applied for by the obligor may be denied, suspended or revoked if: the child support arrearage is equal to or exceeds the amount of child support payable for six months; the obligor fails to provide health care coverage for the children as ordered by the court for six months; or the obligor fails to respond to a subpoena relating to a paternity or child support proceeding; or a warrant for the obligor's arrest has been issued by the court due to failure to pay child support as ordered, failure to appear at a hearing to establish paternity or child support, or failure to appear at a hearing to enforce a child support order and said warrant remains outstanding. The written notice shall also state that the amount of a child support order and the provisions for health care coverage may be reviewed and updated when there has been a change in circumstances or in accordance with section 5 of P.L.1990, c.92 (C.2A:17-56.9a).

The court shall ensure that in the case of each obligor against whom a support order is or has been issued or modified, the obligor's income shall be withheld to comply with the order. An amount shall be withheld to pay the support obligation and it shall include an amount to be applied toward liquidation of arrearages reduced to judgments, payments for paternity testing procedures and provisions for health care coverage when applicable. These provisions shall also be applicable to all orders issued on or before the effective date of P.L.1985, c.278 (C.2A:17-56.16 et seq.).

A support provision contained in an order or judgment issued by the court shall be paid by income withholding unless the order or judgment specifically provides for an alternative payment arrangement to which the parties agree in writing or the obligor or obligee demonstrates and the court finds good cause for establishing an alternative arrangement.