Child Support

Starting child support

If you want a court order for child support, you must file a divorce/parenting action or seek assistance through the Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Child Support Services. 

Calculating child support

To calculate, you must complete a Child Support Guidelines Worksheet and you should review the child support guidelines. To assist you, a child support calculator may be found on the Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Child Support Services website. 

Modifying child support

At any time, a person paying or receiving child support may ask the court to change the support order based on a substantial change of circumstances. If 3 years have passed since the last child support order was issued, either party may ask the court to change the order without needing to show a substantial change in circumstances. 

To change child support, file a Petition to Change Court Order, together with a Personal Data Sheet. 

Enforcing an existing child support order

To enforce a child support order, you may file a Petition for Contempt.

Out-of-state child support order: 

To register or enforce a child support order from another state, file a Petition to Register Foreign Order. 

Child Support Hearings Officers 

In some Family Division locations, a child support hearings officer will hear matters involving child support and make recommendations to the court.