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#define.stb Definition of legal terms- on line glossary
            Tutorial on enforcement of Child Support/
                   Alimony across State lines


    America is becoming a nation of transients. Recent 
statistics show 1 in 4 families moving every five years to a 
different state. A recurring problem is that child support, 
maintenance or alimony are awarded in a Court where the parties 
were residing at one time, and then one or both parties move to 
other states. 

    URESA provides two important rights. First, if a person owing 
support, whether it be in a divorce, separation or paternity 
proceeding has moved to another State owing money, then the act 
provides an enforcement mechanism. Under URESA each state 
designates an office (either the prosecutor's office, 
city/county/state's attorney, the public welfare office, or a 
special office for support administration; call the clerk of your 
local city or county court, and they can help) where you present 
your problem. The Court or officer in your state (without filing 
fees or court costs) then forwards the petition to the Court 
where the person owing the support might be found. Then that 
Court enforces the obligation by contempt, installment payments, 
liens on property or other court action. Providing that the 
person who is delinquent can be found, (which is usually the 
problem) then the Courts of the other state will try to get all 
or some of the arrearage, and will try to enforce compliance with 
the Orders for Support in the future.

    The second important right that URESA provides is that 
support orders will be registered from state to state, so that a 
public record exists of the fact the support, and arrearages if 
any. In virtually all cases a properly recorded order which finds 
that an arrearage is due acts as a lien on the property of the 
delinquent party, so, if the delinquent party wants to get a 
loan, buy a car or engage in any financial transaction where a 
credit check will be run, the arrearage will show up. Usually this 
results in some action being taken, provide that there is a way 
to do so, to clear the debt. Be sure to register the judgment 
wherever the other side may move.

STATES WITH STANDARD URESA:

Alaska
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Hawaii
Idaho
Indiana
Mane
Maryland
Missouri
Oklahoma
Puerto Rico
Tennessee
Vermont


STATES ADOPTING REVISED URESA:

Alabama
Arizona
California
Colorado
Illinois
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Dakota
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Vermont
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

STATES WITH NON-STANDARD ACTS:

Georgia (Based on revised)
Massachusetts (Based on original)
New York
Texas
Virginia (Based on original)