Section 20-4-157 – Duties of support enforcement agency

May 14, 2021 | Family Law, Wyoming

(a) A support enforcement agency of this state, upon request, shall provide services to a petitioner in a proceeding under this act.
(b) A support enforcement agency of this state that is providing services to the petitioner shall:

(i) Take all steps necessary to enable an appropriate tribunal of this state, another state or a foreign country to obtain jurisdiction over the respondent;
(ii) Request an appropriate tribunal to set a date, time and place for a hearing;
(iii) Make a reasonable effort to obtain all relevant information, including information as to income and property of the parties;
(iv) Within two (2) days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after receipt of notice in a record from an initiating, responding or registering tribunal, send a copy of the notice to the petitioner;
(v) Within two (2) days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after receipt of communication in a record from the respondent or the respondent’s attorney, send a copy of the communication to the petitioner; and
(vi) Notify the petitioner if jurisdiction over the respondent cannot be obtained.
(c) This act does not create or negate a relationship of attorney and client or other fiduciary relationship between a support enforcement agency or the attorney for the agency and the individual being assisted by the agency.
(d) A support enforcement agency of this state that requests registration of a child support order in this state for enforcement or for modification shall make reasonable efforts:

(i) To ensure that the order to be registered is the controlling order; or
(ii) If two (2) or more child support orders exist and the identity of the controlling order has not been determined, to ensure that a request for a determination is made in a tribunal having jurisdiction to do so.
(e) A support enforcement agency of this state that requests registration and enforcement of a support order, arrearages or judgment stated in a foreign currency shall convert the amounts stated in the foreign currency into the equivalent amounts in dollars under the applicable official or market exchange rate as publicly reported.
(f) A support enforcement agency of this state shall request a tribunal of this state to issue a child support order and an income withholding order that redirect payment of current support, arrearages and interest if requested to do so by a support enforcement agency of another state pursuant to W.S. 20-4-169.

W.S. 20-4-157

Amended by Laws 2015, ch. 75,ยง 2, eff. 3/2/2015.