Modifying or Enforcing Child Support From Another State

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You may need to know how to modify or enforce a child support order in Arizona issued in another state.

First, you should know Arizona has adopted the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act that provides, in certain circumstances, a parent the right to enforce or modify a child support award issued in another state.

Learn How to Modify or Enforce a Foreign State’s Child Support Order in Arizona.

The various provisions of the Act are too voluminous to summarize, but if your case meets the requirements, you may then modify or enforce another state’s child support order in Arizona.

The first step is to determine whether the state that issued the child support order continues to maintain exclusive and continuing authority over the child support order.

If it does, Arizona lacks the power to modify the order but does have the authority to enforce the other state’s order.

Modify or Enforce a Child Support Order Issued in Another State in Arizona.

If it is determined Arizona has the power to change the order, the other state’s order would have first to be domesticated in Arizona, according to the requirements of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act.

The Arizona Court of Appeals in the In re the Marriage of Glover case discussed all of the steps that need to be taken to domesticate a child support order issued by a judge in another state.

Many lawyers have incorrectly relied upon the domestication provisions of the Arizona Domestication of Foreign Judgments Act, which may result in a failed attempt to properly domesticate the other state’s child support order in Arizona; thereby depriving the Arizona court of authority to modify the award.

How to Modify or Enforce a Child Support Order in Arizona Issued in Another State.

Instead, you must register the other state’s child support order according to Arizona’s version of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act.

For more in-depth information regarding domesticating another state’s child support award, please read our synopsis of the Arizona Court of Appeals’ decision in the Glover v. Glover case.

Although you must properly register another state’s child support order under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act to modify a child support order of another state, failing to do so does not prevent a parent from enforcing another state’s child support orders in Arizona as decided by the Arizona court of appeals in the Balazic v. Balazic case.

Other Frequently Asked Questions about out of state child support orders in Arizona:

How do I enforce an out of state child support order in Arizona?

You can enforce an out of state child support order in Arizona. You must obtain a certified copy of the out of state child support order, which you will domesticate in the Superior Court in which you will seek enforcement. You then file a Petition to Enforce or a Petition for Contempt to enforce an out of state child support order in Arizona.

If you have questions about how to modify or enforce a child support order issued in another state in Arizona, you should seriously consider contacting the attorneys at Hildebrand Law, PC. Our Arizona child support and family law attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience successfully representing clients in child support and family law cases.

Our family law firm has earned numerous awards such as US News and World Reports Best Arizona Family Law Firm, US News and World Report Best Divorce Attorneys, “Best of the Valley” by Arizona Foothills readers, and “Best Arizona Divorce Law Firms” by North Scottsdale Magazine.

Call us today at (480)305-8300 or reach out to us through our appointment scheduling form to schedule your personalized consultation and turn your child support or family law case around today.

Chris Hildebrand
Chris Hildebrand

Chris Hildebrand wrote the information on this page about how to modify or enforce a child support order issued in another state in Arizona to ensure everyone has access to information about the divorce process in Arizona. Chris is a family law attorney at Hildebrand Law, PC. He has over 24 years of Arizona family law experience and has received multiple awards, including US News and World Report “Top Arizona Divorce Attorneys”, Phoenix Magazine “Top Divorce Law Firms”, and Arizona Foothills Magazine “Best of the Valley” award.