questions & answers

Question: Im 21 i have two kids that are 2yrs old from different moms i do my best to support them and i am part of there lifes but i was placed on child support by one of my sons mom and i was ordered to pay back support and child supp and the court was supposed to take it out of my check from work and nothings happen but i recently heard that my sons mother dropped the child support she was ordered full custody is that still in effect even tho she dropped child support? and why havent they taking out of my checks?

Answer: For starters, court rulings – including court rulings about child support and custody – are part of the public record. That means that there is no need to trust rumors or your memory. For family court matters in Arizona, a person can go to the Clerk of Court in the Superior Court of the county the custody hearing was made in. They can provide a copy of the results of any case that is requested. Some information from the public record is available on the Supreme Court of Arizona’s Public Access to Court Information search engine here. The court records would also explain where the court stands on the custody issue.
If the judge did not order child support that would explain why it wasn’t taken from your paycheck (This is called wage assignment or garnishment). Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.) Section 25-504 states that once there is a valid court order for support, either parent can make an ex parte (without the other parent present) request to the court for wage assignments. Section 25-504 also states that once this request is granted, the person who owes support will be sent a notice explaining what is happening. It also requires that your employer give you notice that your wages have been assigned by handing you a copy or sending it to you through Registered Mail.
If a check with the Clerk of Court does not provide an answer, the Arizona Department of Economic Security’s Child Support Enforcement division can help. Their job is to make it easier for Arizonans to meet their obligation to provide reasonable support to their children as given in A.R.S. § 25-501. They can tell you (or help you find out) if you owe any support, and how to pay it. You can contact them by phone at (602) 252-4045 or (800) 882-4151, or visit their website here.