Child support is frequently a sticking point when parents divorce or separate. Many people feel resentment about the obligation to provide financial support to a former partner. Some people try everything they can think of to avoid their responsibilities.
They quit their jobs, move house frequently to avoid legal service and change their phone numbers. Sometimes, they may even move out of Alabama. In such cases, the parent receiving support may worry that they may be left struggling to pay for their children’s basic needs.
What happens if a parent paying support leaves Mississippi?
Interstate enforcement is possible
Mississippi, like most other states, has enacted a statute allowing for the enforcement of out-of-state child support orders. If someone from Tennessee moves to Mississippi to try to avoid child support obligations, the parent remaining in Tennessee can file paperwork in both jurisdictions and hold the parent who has moved to Mississippi accountable.
They may be able to intercept their wages and take other enforcement actions even though the order is initially from another state. Similar rules apply when a parent subject to a Mississippi custody order leaves for another state.
Once the parent receiving support learns of the new address of the paying parent, they can file paperwork in Mississippi and in the other state seeking enforcement actions. Wage garnishment and other enforcement efforts, such as tax return interception, can help parents address past-due child support.
Legal assistance is often necessary in complicated child support cases. Consulting with an attorney when seeking to address interstate child support issues can help parents understand the right process and pursue the support their children deserve.
