Tag Archive for: divorce

Section 61.1825, Florida Statutes

State Case Registry.—

(1)The Department of Revenue or its agent shall operate and maintain a State Case Registry as provided by 42 U.S.C. s. 654A. The State Case Registry must contain records for:

(a)Each case in which services are being provided by the department as the state’s Title IV-D agency; and

(b)By October 1, 1998, each support order established or modified in the state on or after October 1, 1998, in which services are not being provided by the Title IV-D agency.The department shall maintain that part of the State Case Registry that includes support order information for Title IV-D cases on the department’s child support enforcement automated system. Read more

Section 61.1824, Florida Statutes

State Disbursement Unit.—

(1)The State Disbursement Unit is hereby created and shall be operated by the Department of Revenue or by a contractor responsible directly to the department. The State Disbursement Unit shall be responsible for the collection and disbursement of payments for:

(a)All support cases enforced by the department pursuant to Title IV-D of the Social Security Act; and

(b)All child support cases not being enforced by the department pursuant to Title IV-D of the Social Security Act in which the initial support order was issued in this state on or after January 1, 1994, and in which the obligor’s child support obligation is being paid through income deduction. Read more

Section 61.1816, Florida Statutes

Child Support Clearing Trust Fund.—

(1)The Child Support Clearing Trust Fund is hereby created, to be administered by the Department of Revenue. Funds shall be credited to the trust fund from child support payments. The purpose of the trust fund is to account for child support collections pending distribution to custodial parents and other state trust funds.

(2)Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.

For the latest version of this statute, visit http://www.leg.state.fl.us.

Section 61.1814, Florida Statutes

Child Support Enforcement Application and Program Revenue Trust Fund.—

(1)The Child Support Enforcement Application and Program Revenue Trust Fund is hereby created, to be administered by the Department of Revenue. The purpose of the trust fund is to account for Title IV-D program income and to support the activities of the child support enforcement program under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. The department shall invest the money in the trust fund pursuant to s. 17.61 and retain all interest earnings in the trust fund. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301, and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund. In accordance with federal requirements, the federal share of program income shall be credited to the Federal Government. Read more

Section 61.1812, Florida Statutes

Child Support Incentive Trust Fund.—

(1)The Child Support Incentive Trust Fund is hereby created, to be administered by the Department of Revenue. All child support enforcement incentive earnings and that portion of the state share of Title IV-A public assistance collections recovered in fiscal year 1996-1997 by the Title IV-D program of the department which is in excess of the amount estimated by the February 1997 Social Services Estimating Conference to be recovered in fiscal year 1996-1997 shall be credited to the trust fund, and no other receipts, except interest earnings, shall be credited thereto. For fiscal years beginning with 1997-1998, in addition to incentive earnings and interest earnings, that portion of the state share of Title IV-A public assistance collections recovered in each fiscal year by the Title IV-D program of the department which is in excess of the amount estimated by the February 1997 Social Services Estimating Conference to be recovered in fiscal year 1997-1998 shall be credited to the trust fund. The purpose of the trust fund is to account for federal incentive payments to the state for child support enforcement and to support the activities of the child support enforcement program under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. The department shall invest the money in the trust fund pursuant to s. 17.61 and retain all interest earnings in the trust fund. The department shall separately account for receipts credited to the trust fund. When all general revenue appropriations for the child support enforcement program have been shifted to the trust fund, then annually thereafter, on June 30, if revenues deposited into the trust fund, including federal child support incentive earnings, have exceeded state expenditures for the child support enforcement program administered by the department for the prior 12-month period, the revenues in excess of cash flow needs are transferred to the General Revenue Fund.

(2)Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301, and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.

For the latest version of this statute, visit http://www.leg.state.fl.us.

Section 61.1811, Florida Statutes

Clerk of the Court Child Support Enforcement Collection System Trust Fund.—There is hereby created the Clerk of the Court Child Support Enforcement Collection System Trust Fund to be used to deposit the department’s share of the fees generated in s. 61.181(2)(b).

For the latest version of this statute, visit http://www.leg.state.fl.us.

Section 61.181, Florida Statutes

Depository for alimony transactions, support, maintenance, and support payments; fees.—

(1)

(a)The office of the clerk of the court shall operate a depository unless the depository is otherwise created by special act of the Legislature or unless, prior to June 1, 1985, a different entity was established to perform such functions. The department shall, no later than July 1, 1998, extend participation in the federal child support cost reimbursement program to the central depository in each county, to the maximum extent possible under existing federal law. The depository shall receive reimbursement for services provided under a cooperative agreement with the department pursuant to s. 61.1826. Each depository shall participate in the State Disbursement Unit and shall implement all statutory and contractual duties imposed on the State Disbursement Unit. Each depository shall receive from and transmit to the State Disbursement Unit required data through the Clerk of Court Child Support Enforcement Collection System. Payments on non-Title IV-D cases without income deduction orders shall not be sent to the State Disbursement Unit. Read more

Section 61.18, Florida Statutes

Alimony and child support; default in undertaking of bond posted to ensure payment.—

(1)When there is a breach of the condition of any bond posted to ensure the payment of alimony or child support, either temporary or permanent, for a party or minor children of the parties, the court in which the order was issued may order payment to the party entitled thereto of the principal of the bond or the part thereof necessary to cure the existing default without further notice from time to time where the amount is liquidated.

(2)The sureties on the bond, or the sheriff or clerk holding a cash bond, shall be ordered to pay into the registry of court, or to any party the court may direct, the sum necessary to cure the default.

(3)If the principal or sureties or sheriff or clerk fails to pay within the time and as required by the order, the court may enforce the payment by contempt against the principal or sureties on the bond or sheriff or clerk without further notice, or may issue an execution against the principal, sureties, sheriff, or clerk for the amount unpaid under any prior order or orders, but no sureties on the bond are liable for more than the penalty of the bond.

For the latest version of this statute, visit http://www.leg.state.fl.us.

Section 61.17, Florida Statutes

Alimony and child support; additional method for enforcing orders and judgments; costs, expenses.—

(1)An order or judgment for the payment of alimony or child support or either entered by any court of this state may be enforced by another chancery court in this state in the following manner:

(a)The person to whom such alimony or child support is payable or for whose benefit it is payable may procure a certified copy of the order or judgment and file it with a complaint for enforcement in the circuit court for the county in which the person resides or in the county where the person charged with the payment of the alimony or child support resides or is found. Read more

Section 61.16, Florida Statutes

Attorney’s fees, suit money, and costs.—

(1)The court may from time to time, after considering the financial resources of both parties, order a party to pay a reasonable amount for attorney’s fees, suit money, and the cost to the other party of maintaining or defending any proceeding under this chapter, including enforcement and modification proceedings and appeals. In those cases in which an action is brought for enforcement and the court finds that the noncompliant party is without justification in the refusal to follow a court order, the court may not award attorney’s fees, suit money, and costs to the noncompliant party. An application for attorney’s fees, suit money, or costs, whether temporary or otherwise, shall not require corroborating expert testimony in order to support an award under this chapter. The trial court shall have continuing jurisdiction to make temporary attorney’s fees and costs awards reasonably necessary to prosecute or defend an appeal on the same basis and criteria as though the matter were pending before it at the trial level. In all cases, the court may order that the amount be paid directly to the attorney, who may enforce the order in that attorney’s name. In determining whether to make attorney’s fees and costs awards at the appellate level, the court shall primarily consider the relative financial resources of the parties, unless an appellate party’s cause is deemed to be frivolous. In Title IV-D cases, attorney’s fees, suit money, and costs, including filing fees, recording fees, mediation costs, service of process fees, and other expenses incurred by the clerk of the circuit court, shall be assessed only against the nonprevailing obligor after the court makes a determination of the nonprevailing obligor’s ability to pay such costs and fees. The Department of Revenue shall not be considered a party for purposes of this section; however, fees may be assessed against the department pursuant to s. 57.105(1). Read more