reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-101 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part I - Definitions; General Provisions|Section 10-101 - Definitions

    (a)    In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.    (b)    “Administration” means the Child Support Administration of the Department of Human Services.    (c)    “Earnings” includes:        (1)    any form of periodic payment to an individual, including:            (i)    an annuity;            (ii)    a pension;            (iii)    Social Security payments;            (iv)    workers’ compensation payments; and            (v)    unemployment insurance benefits; and        (2)    any commissions or fees paid in connection with the obligor’s employment.    (d)    (1)    “Employer” means any person who is paying earnings to an obligor.        (2)    “Employer” includes a governmental entity.    (e)    “Local support enforcement office” means 1 of the following that is responsible for support enforcement:        (1)    a county agency; or        (2)    a component of the circuit court for a county.    (f)    (1)    “Obligee” means any person who is entitled to receive support.        (2)    “Obligee” includes a state.    (g)    “Obligor” means an individual who is required to pay support under a court order.    (h)    “Support” includes:        (1)    child support;        (2)    spousal support;        (3)    support of destitute adult children; and        (4)    support of destitute parents.    (i)    “Support enforcement agency” means 1 of the following that receives support payments under a court order:        (1)    the Administration; or        (2)    a local support enforcement office.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-102 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part I - Definitions; General Provisions|Section 10-102 - Statute of Limitations for Contempt Proceeding

    A contempt proceeding for failure to make a payment of child or spousal support under a court order shall be brought within 3 years of the date that the payment of support became due.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-103 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part I - Definitions; General Provisions|Section 10-103 - Effect on Other Actions

    This subtitle does not limit the authority of a State’s Attorney, the Administration, or a local support enforcement office to use any other civil or criminal remedy to enforce a child or spousal support order.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-106 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part II - Child Support Administration|Section 10-106 - Administration Established

    There is a Child Support Administration in the Department of Human Services.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-106.1 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part II - Child Support Administration|Section 10-106.1 - Child Support Reinvestment Fund

    (a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.        (2)    “Federal performance incentive payments” means federal funds paid to the Department of Human Services as provided under Title IV–D of the federal Social Security Act.        (3)    “Fund” means the Child Support Reinvestment Fund.    (b)    There is established a Child Support Reinvestment Fund within the Administration.    (c)    (1)    The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that shall consist of all of the federal performance incentive payments received by the Department of Human Services in a fiscal year.        (2)    The Fund is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.    (d)    (1)    The State Treasurer shall hold and the State Comptroller shall account for the Fund.        (2)    The proceeds of the Fund shall be invested and reinvested.        (3)    Any investment earnings shall be paid into the Fund.    (e)    Money in the Fund, including any money that is distributed from the Fund to a county under § 10–116(b) of this subtitle, and any federal funds leveraged with money from the Fund shall only be expended by the Administration or by a county for activities that may contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of the statewide child support enforcement program established under this subtitle, including:        (1)    privatizing and outsourcing of child support enforcement services;        (2)    improving automation capabilities;        (3)    creating public awareness projects;        (4)    developing programs and special projects;        (5)    establishing a performance incentive program to provide incentives for employees;        (6)    assisting in staff development and training; and        (7)    establishing community outreach programs and activities.    (f)    Money from the Fund shall supplement and may not be used to supplant the budget of the Administration, a county, or a local support enforcement office.    (g)    Expenditures from the Fund may only be made:        (1)    pursuant to an appropriation approved by the General Assembly in the annual State budget; or        (2)    by the budget amendment procedure provided for in § 7–209 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-107 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part II - Child Support Administration|Section 10-107 - Authority of Secretary of Human Services

    The Administration exercises its authority, duties, and functions under any law of this State subject to the authority of the Secretary of Human Services under any law of this State.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-108 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part II - Child Support Administration|Section 10-108 - Duties -- in General

    (a)    The Administration shall:        (1)    coordinate a statewide program for support enforcement;        (2)    maintain a central registry of records on absent parents as required under § 12–105 of this article;        (3)    locate absent parents;        (4)    determine the ability of an absent parent to pay child support;        (5)    accept assignment of right, title, or interest in child support made under § 5–312(b)(2) of the Human Services Article;        (6)    in any case in which an assignment is made under § 5–312(b)(2) of the Human Services Article, prosecute and maintain any legal or equitable action available to establish each absent parent’s obligation to pay child support;        (7)    cooperate with other states in establishing and enforcing child support obligations;        (8)    collect and disburse support payments through the State disbursement unit established under § 10–108.7 of this subtitle; and        (9)    use established legal processes to enforce court orders to pay support.    (b)    Except in a county that has a local support enforcement office, the Administration is the agency that is responsible for support enforcement in all cases where a court orders an obligor to make support payments to a public agency:        (1)    as the payee; or        (2)    as collection agent for the payee.    (c)    (1)    In this subsection, “notice of arrearage” means a written notice provided by the Administration:            (i)    to an obligor who is in arrears in making child support payments; and            (ii)    relating to the arrearage.        (2)    If the Administration sends a notice of arrearage within the first 120 days that the obligor is in arrears in making child support payments, the Administration shall include notice that continued arrearage may result in revocation or denial of a license under § 10-119.3 of this subtitle.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-108.1 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part II - Child Support Administration|Section 10-108.1 - Reports to Consumer Reporting Agencies; Notice; Appeal; Regulations

    (a)    In this section, “consumer reporting agency” means any person or entity that, for monetary fees or dues, or on a cooperative nonprofit basis, regularly engages in whole or in part in the practice of assembling or evaluating consumer credit information or other information on consumers for the purpose of furnishing consumer credit reports to third parties.    (b)    (1)    If a child support obligation owed by an obligor and enforced by the Administration or a local support enforcement office becomes 60 days or more in arrears, the Administration shall make available, upon request in a format acceptable to the consumer reporting agency and the Administration, information regarding the arrears to all consumer reporting agencies that operate in the State.        (2)    The Administration shall:            (i)    designate one or more persons to receive and process requests from the consumer reporting agencies regarding the reverification of information; and            (ii)    respond to requests made by the consumer reporting agencies in a timely manner.    (c)    (1)    Before supplying any information to a consumer reporting agency under this section, the Administration shall:            (i)    send written notice of the proposed action to the obligor including the obligor’s right to contest the accuracy of the reported arrearage; and            (ii)    give the obligor a reasonable opportunity to contest the accuracy of the information.        (2)    The obligor may appeal a decision of the Administration to provide the information regarding arrears to consumer reporting agencies in accordance with Title 10 of the State Government Article.    (d)    The Secretary of Human Services shall adopt rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section.    (e)    (1)    Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a consumer reporting agency that receives information regarding child support arrears under this section shall comply with the provisions of Title 14, Subtitle 12 of the Commercial Law Article.        (2)    If the Administration finds that it has supplied erroneous information concerning arrears owed by an obligor to a consumer reporting agency:            (i)    the Administration shall notify the consumer reporting agency; and            (ii)    the consumer reporting agency shall remove any information concerning the erroneous arrears from the obligor’s credit file.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-108.4 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part II - Child Support Administration|Section 10-108.4 - Action to Attach and Seize Funds for Child Support Arrears From Financial Institution -- Reimbursement of Account Holders

    (a)    If the Administration institutes an action under § 10-108.3(b) of this subtitle and no obligor has any ownership interest in a seized account at the time the Administration institutes the action, the Administration shall reimburse the account holders of interest for fees incurred as a result of instituting the action, including:        (1)    fees assessed by the financial institution as a result of the Administration’s action;        (2)    fees assessed by the financial institution for insufficient funds;        (3)    fees assessed by merchants for dishonored checks; and        (4)    reasonable attorney’s fees incurred by the account holders of interest related to an administrative or judicial review of the Administration’s decision to institute the action.    (b)    An account holder of interest who wishes to request reimbursement under this section shall file a written request within 60 days after the account is seized. The request shall include copies of the notices or other proof of the assessment of fees for which reimbursement is sought.    (c)    The Administration is not required to reimburse an account holder of interest for fees incurred if:        (1)    the account holder of interest fails to make a request for reimbursement within 60 days after the account was seized;        (2)    the account holder of interest fails to provide proof of the assessment of fees; or        (3)    the fees were incurred as a result of a debit made to the account after the account holder of interest had actual notice of the account seizure.    (d)    This section does not apply to fees incurred as a result of a judicial garnishment.    (e)    A financial institution has no obligation to reimburse fees assessed as a result of the Administration instituting an action under § 10-108.3 of this subtitle or as otherwise permitted by law or authorized by contract.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-108.5 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part II - Child Support Administration|Section 10-108.5 - Payment Through Support Enforcement Agency

    (a)    In any case in which a court has ordered an obligor to send support payments directly to an obligee, the Administration may direct an obligor to forward any support payments through a support enforcement agency if the Administration has:        (1)    sent a notice to the obligor directing the obligor to send support payments through a support enforcement agency;        (2)    advised the obligee that it is issuing a notice to change payees under this section; and        (3)    filed a notice with the court that the Administration is directing the obligor to change payees.    (b)    When an obligor receives notice to change payees under subsection (a) of this section, the obligor shall forward all future support payments to the support enforcement agency designated in the notice.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-108.6 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part II - Child Support Administration|Section 10-108.6 - Subpoena Duces Tecum

    (a)    In order to establish, modify, or enforce a duty of support, the Administration may issue subpoenas to compel the production of documents and other tangible items.    (b)    A subpoena issued under subsection (a) of this section shall:        (1)    specify the name and address of the person to be subpoenaed;        (2)    describe the items to be produced with particularity; and        (3)    include a return date for the subpoena.    (c)    The Administration may serve a subpoena by:        (1)    hand delivery; or        (2)    certified mail.    (d)    If a person fails to comply with a subpoena issued by the Administration, the Administration may:        (1)    reissue the subpoena;        (2)    exercise the Administration’s authority under § 10-119.3 of this subtitle to suspend any license held by the person; or        (3)    apply, upon affidavit, to any judge of a circuit court for an order requiring the person to obey the subpoena.    (e)    If a person knowingly fails or refuses to obey a court order to comply with a subpoena issued under this section, the court may compel compliance with the administrative subpoena in any manner available to the court to enforce its own order or subpoena.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-108.7 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part II - Child Support Administration|Section 10-108.7 - State Disbursement Unit

    The Administration shall establish a State disbursement unit for collection and disbursement of support payments in any case in which:        (1)    an assignment is made under § 5–312(b)(2) of the Human Services Article;        (2)    an obligee files an application and pays a fee for child support services as required by the Administration; or        (3)    an employer is required to send payments to a support enforcement agency.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-109 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part II - Child Support Administration|Section 10-109 - Approval for Child Support Services

    The Administration shall approve for child support services any individual who files an application and pays a fee for child support services as required by the Administration.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-110 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part II - Child Support Administration|Section 10-110 - Powers -- Collection of Fees

    (a)    The Administration may:        (1)    charge an initial application fee of not more than $25 for support services;        (2)    deduct from the child support payment to defray the cost of providing support enforcement services under:            (i)    the Income Tax Refund Intercept Program under this subtitle; and            (ii)    the Federal Treasury Offset Program; and        (3)    collect fees from the obligor to defray the costs of providing support enforcement services.    (b)    Except as provided in subsection (a) of this section, the Administration may not:        (1)    collect fees from the child support obligee; or        (2)    deduct fees from the child support payment.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-111 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part II - Child Support Administration|Section 10-111 - Powers -- Cooperative Agreements

    (a)    The Administration may make a cooperative agreement with a private or public agency, a circuit court, an institution, or a law enforcement official as to:        (1)    establishing paternity;        (2)    establishing liability for support;        (3)    collecting support; or        (4)    enforcing a court order to pay support.    (b)    A cooperative agreement made under this section may include arrangements for reimbursement for expenditures incurred that are reimbursable under federal regulations that relate to federal financial participation in the operation of a support enforcement program.
MD. Family Law Code Ann. §  10-112 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Family Law|Title 10 - Support in General|Subtitle 1 - Civil and Criminal Enforcement|Part II - Child Support Administration|Section 10-112 - Powers -- Settlement of Arrearage

    (a)    (1)    Subject to the best interest of the child, if the Administration considers it to be in the best interest of this State in a case in which an assignment has been made under § 5–312(b)(2) of the Human Services Article, the Administration may accept in full settlement of an arrearage in child support payments an amount that is less than the total arrearage.        (2)    On request of the Administration, a court may approve by order an amount that is less than the total arrearage as full settlement of the arrearage.    (b)    (1)    In a case in which an assignment has been made under § 5–312(b)(2) of the Human Services Article, there is a presumption that it is in the best interest of this State for the Administration to accept in full settlement of an arrearage in child support payments an amount that is less than the total arrearage if:            (i)    1.    the obligor, the individual who has made an assignment under § 5–312(b)(2) of the Human Services Article, and the child who is the subject of the support order  have resided together for at least the 12 months immediately preceding a request for settlement under this section; or                2.    the obligor and the child who is the subject of the support order have resided together for at least the 12 months immediately preceding a request for settlement under this section, and the individual who has made an assignment under § 5–312(b)(2) of the Human Services Article is deceased, incapacitated, or otherwise unavailable to reside with the obligor and the child;            (ii)    the obligor has been supporting the child for at least the 12 months immediately preceding a request for settlement under this section; and            (iii)    the gross income of the obligor is less than 225 percent of the federal poverty level, as defined by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.        (2)    For purposes of paragraph (1)(i)2 of this subsection, an individual who has made an assignment under § 5–312(b)(2) of the Human Services Article may not be considered incapacitated or otherwise unavailable due solely to a change in legal or physical custody of the child.        (3)    (i)    If the Administration does not accept in full settlement of an arrearage in child support payments an amount that is less than the total arrearage under this subsection, the Administration shall notify the obligor of the decision and of the obligor’s right to appeal the decision to the Office of Administrative Hearings.            (ii)    An appeal under this subsection shall be conducted in accordance with Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article.    (c)    The Secretary of Human Services, in cooperation with the Office of Administrative Hearings, may adopt regulations to implement this section.