2023 Indiana Code › Title 31. Family Law and Juvenile Law › Article 16. Family Law: Support of Children and Other Dependents › Chapter 12. Enforcement of Child Support Orders › 31-16-12-6.5. Failure to Respond to Order to Show Cause; Escrow

Sec. 6.5. (a) If a party fails to respond to an order to show cause issued under section 6(c) of this chapter by the date and time specified in the order to show cause, the court may issue a bench warrant for the party to be arrested and brought to the court to respond to the order to show cause.
(b) The court must determine an escrow that a party ordered to show cause under section 6(c) of this chapter is required to deposit with the clerk of the circuit court before the hearing to show cause. If the child support arrearage amount is less than five hundred dollars ($500), the court shall set the required escrow at the amount of the arrearage. If the arrearage is more than five hundred dollars ($500), the court shall set the required escrow at not less than five hundred dollars ($500) and not more than one hundred percent (100%) of the arrearage.
(c) All escrow received by a clerk of the circuit court under this section shall be deposited in a single account. The clerk shall:
(1) keep an accounting of all money deposited in the escrow account;
(2) issue a receipt to any person who pays money to the clerk under this section; and
(3) transfer money out of the escrow account only after receiving an order to transfer money issued by the court that issued the bench warrant.
(d) If a party is arrested under subsection (a), the party shall remain in custody until the hearing to show cause unless the party posts the escrow amount required in the bench warrant.
(e) If a party is arrested outside the business hours of the clerk of the circuit court, the party may post the escrow amount stated in the bench warrant with the arresting officer.
(f) The arresting officer or clerk receiving an escrow amount shall give the party a receipt for the escrow on a form substantially as follows:
"Date:_____________________
Escrow received from____________________ (referred to in this receipt as respondent) to assure the performance of the respondent's child support arrearage. The respondent shall appear for a hearing to show cause at ________(time) on _________(date) at the following address:
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
(Address to be furnished by respondent for receipt of notice.)
The hearing is for the respondent to answer an order to show cause. If the respondent is found to be in contempt, further proceedings related to the respondent's contempt may occur.
If the respondent fails to appear at the time and date listed above, fails to submit to the jurisdiction of the court, or fails to abide by the court's orders, the Court may direct the Clerk of the Circuit Court to distribute the escrow deposited with the Clerk of the Circuit Court under state and federal child support distribution laws.
If the respondent appears at the time and location indicated above and the Court determines the respondent owes an arrearage under the support order that is the basis of the order to show cause or owes any costs to the Court, the Court may direct the Clerk of the Circuit Court to distribute the escrow deposited with the Clerk of the Circuit Court under state and federal child support distribution laws.
By depositing the escrow amount and accepting this receipt, the recipient of this receipt waives a claim to the money following a Court order for distribution of child support.
Printed name and signature of person receiving escrow deposit: ______________________
Agency or department of person receiving escrow deposit: __________________________.".
(g) A law enforcement officer who receives escrow money under this section shall deposit the money with the clerk of the circuit court that issued the bench warrant within two (2) business days after receiving the escrow money.
(h) If a party is arrested under subsection (a) and cannot post the escrow amount required in the bench warrant, the party is entitled to a hearing within forty-eight (48) hours after the party's arrest, excluding weekends and holidays, if the court is able to hold the hearing within that period. If the court cannot hold a hearing within forty-eight (48) hours, the court shall review the escrow amount ordered in the bench warrant, may modify the escrow amount in the bench warrant to ensure that the party appears at future hearings, and shall set a date for a hearing. At the hearing, the party shall explain to the court why the party cannot post the required escrow deposit required by the bench warrant. The party shall also respond to the court's order to show cause.
(i) If a party fails to appear at a hearing to respond to an order to show cause issued under this section after the party deposited the escrow amount set in the bench warrant, the court shall order the clerk of the circuit court to distribute the escrow under state and federal child support distribution laws. The court may also issue an additional bench warrant under subsection (a) for the party to respond to additional contempt charges.
(j) If a party posts the escrow amount set in a bench warrant, at a hearing to respond to an order to show cause under this section, the court shall determine how the escrow amount deposited is to be distributed under state and federal child distribution laws. If the escrow amount deposited exceeds the arrearage, the party is entitled to a refund.
(k) The court may set aside a finding of contempt under this section if the court finds, based on the hearing held under this section, that the party is in compliance with the court's orders.
(l) If a court finds a person to be in contempt of court under this section, the court may punish the person for contempt of court under IC 34-47.
As added by P.L.131-2009, SEC.12.