RSA 546-B:18 · Duties of Support Enforcement Agency

546-B:18 Duties of Support Enforcement Agency. –
I. In a proceeding under this chapter, a support enforcement agency of this state, upon request:
(a) Shall provide services to a petitioner residing in a state;
(b) Shall provide services to a petitioner requesting services through a central authority of a foreign country as described in RSA 546-B:1, V(a) or (d); and
(c) May provide services to a petitioner who is an individual not residing in a state.
II. A support enforcement agency of this state that is providing services to the petitioner shall:
(a) Take all steps necessary to enable an appropriate tribunal of this state, another state, or a foreign country to obtain jurisdiction over the respondent;
(b) Request an appropriate tribunal to set a date, time, and place for a hearing;
(c) Make a reasonable effort to obtain all relevant information, including information as to income and property of the parties;
(d) Within 10 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;
(e) Within 10 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
(f) Notify the petitioner if jurisdiction over the respondent cannot be obtained.
III. 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:
(a) To ensure that the order to be registered is the controlling order; or
(b) If 2 or more child support orders exist and the identity of the controlling order has not been determined, to ensure that a request for such a determination is made in a tribunal having jurisdiction to do so.
IV. A support enforcement agency of this state that requests registration and enforcement of a support order, arrears, or judgment stated in a foreign currency shall convert the amounts stated in the foreign currency into the amounts in dollars under the applicable official or market exchange rate as publicly reported.
V. A support enforcement agency of this state shall issue or request a tribunal of this state to issue a child support order and an income withholding order that redirect payment of current support, arrears, and interest if requested to do so by a support enforcement agency of another state pursuant to RSA 546-B:30.
VI. This chapter 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.
Source. 2015, 75:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2016.