If your former spouse is not paying child support, you may take action to enforce your court order either with the help of your lawyer or the assistance of a child support attorney. Unlike a private attorney, you do not pay for the services of a child support attorney.
Visit the website for the North Carolina Health and Human Services System at http://www.ncdhhs.gov/assistance/childrens-services/child-support-enforcement for a listing of the offices and addresses of child support attorneys who can help you.
Most counties have attorneys who are specifically designated to perform child support enforcement services. These attorneys are sometimes referred to as child support enforcement attorneys. The judge may order payment of both the current amount of support and an additional amount to be paid each month until the past due child support (referred to as “arrearages”) is paid in full.
You may request that your former spouse’s state and federal tax refunds be sent directly to the North Carolina Child Support Centralized Collections. It may also be possible to garnish a checking or savings account for past due child support.
State issued licenses (i.e. driver’s, hunting and fishing) may also be suspended if a parent falls behind in child support payments. Your former spouse may also be found in contempt of court if the failure to pay support is intentional. Possible consequences include being fined, paying your attorney’s fees, censure or jailed.
To review, if you are not receiving child support, you have three options:
- Call you attorney;
- Call your local Child Support Enforcement Office; or,
- Visit the North Carolina Health and Human Services web site listed above.