reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-301 - Proceedings Under This Chapter

Section 3–301. Proceedings under this chapter.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, this article applies to all proceedings under this chapter.
(b) An individual petitioner or a support enforcement agency may initiate a proceeding authorized under this chapter by filing a petition in an initiating tribunal for forwarding to a responding tribunal or by filing a petition or a comparable pleading directly in a tribunal of another state or a foreign country which has or can obtain personal jurisdiction over the respondent.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-302 - Proceeding by Minor Parent

Section 3–302. Proceeding by minor parent. A minor parent or a guardian or other legal representative of a minor parent, may maintain a proceeding on behalf of or for the benefit of the minor's child.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-303 - Application of Law of the Commonwealth

Section 3–303. Application of law of the commonwealth. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a responding tribunal of the commonwealth shall:
(1) apply the procedural and substantive law, generally applicable to similar proceedings originating in the commonwealth and may exercise all powers and provide all remedies available in those proceedings; and
(2) determine the duty of support and the amount payable in accordance with the law and support guidelines of the commonwealth.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-304 - Duties of Initiating Tribunal

Section 3–304. Duties of initiating tribunal. (a) Upon the filing of a petition authorized by this chapter, an initiating tribunal of the commonwealth shall forward the petition and its accompanying documents:
(1) to the responding tribunal or appropriate support enforcement agency in the responding state; or
(2) if the identity of the responding tribunal is unknown, to the state information agency of the responding state with a request that they be forwarded to the appropriate tribunal and that receipt be acknowledged.
(b) If requested by the responding tribunal, a tribunal of the commonwealth shall issue a certificate or other document and make findings required by the law of the responding state. If the responding tribunal is in a foreign country, upon request the tribunal of the commonwealth shall specify the amount of support sought, convert that amount into the equivalent amount in the foreign currency under applicable official or market exchange rate as publicly reported and provide any other documents necessary to satisfy the requirements of the responding foreign tribunal.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-305 - Duties and Powers of Responding Tribunal

Section 3–305. Duties and powers of responding tribunal.
(a) When a responding tribunal of the commonwealth receives a petition or comparable pleading from an initiating tribunal or directly pursuant to section 3–301 (b), it shall cause the petition or pleading to be filed and notify the petitioner where and when it was filed.
(b) A responding tribunal of the commonwealth, to the extent not prohibited by other law, may do 1 or more of the following:
(1) establish or enforce a support order, modify a child support order, determine the controlling child support order or determine parentage of a child;
(2) order an obligor to comply with a support order, specifying the amount and the manner of compliance;
(3) order income withholding;
(4) determine the amount of any arrearages and specify a method of payment;
(5) enforce orders by civil or criminal contempt, or both;
(6) set aside property for satisfaction of the support order;
(7) place liens and order execution on the obligor's property;
(8) order an obligor to keep the tribunal informed of the obligor's current residential address, electronic mail address, telephone number, employer, address of employment and telephone number at the place of employment;
(9) issue a capias or a bench warrant for an obligor who has failed after proper notice to appear at a hearing ordered by the tribunal and enter the capias or the bench warrant in any local and state computer systems for criminal warrants;
(10) order the obligor to seek appropriate employment by specified methods;
(11) award reasonable attorney's fees and other fees and costs; and
(12) grant any other available remedy.
(c) A responding tribunal of the commonwealth shall include in a support order issued under this chapter, or in the documents accompanying the order, the calculations on which the support order is based.
(d) A responding tribunal of the commonwealth may not condition the payment of a support order issued under this chapter upon compliance by a party with provisions for visitation.
(e) If a responding tribunal of the commonwealth issues an order under this chapter, the tribunal shall send a copy of the order to the petitioner and the respondent and to the initiating tribunal, if any.
(f) If requested to enforce a support order, arrears or judgment or modify a support order stated in a foreign currency, a responding tribunal of the commonwealth shall convert the amount stated in the foreign currency to the equivalent amount in dollars under the applicable official or market exchange rate as publicly reported.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-306 - Inappropriate Tribunal

Section 3–306. Inappropriate tribunal. If a petition or comparable pleading is received by an inappropriate tribunal of the commonwealth, the tribunal shall forward the pleading and accompanying documents to an appropriate tribunal of the commonwealth or another state and notify the petitioner where and when the pleading was sent.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-307 - Duties of Support Enforcement Agency

Section 3–307. Duties of support enforcement agency.
(a) In a proceeding under this chapter, a support enforcement agency of the commonwealth, upon request:
(1) shall provide services to a petitioner residing in a state;
(2) shall provide services to a petitioner requesting services through a central authority of a foreign country as described in section 1–102(5) (i) or (iv); and
(3) may provide services to a petitioner who is an individual not residing in a state.
(b) A support enforcement agency of the commonwealth that is providing services to the petitioner shall:
(1) take all steps necessary to enable an appropriate tribunal of the commonwealth, another state or a foreign country to obtain jurisdiction over the respondent;
(2) request an appropriate tribunal to set a date, time and place for a hearing;
(3) make a reasonable effort to obtain all relevant information, including information as to income and property of the parties;
(4) within 5 days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after receipt of notice in a record from an initiating, responding or registering tribunal, send a copy of the notice to the petitioner;
(5) within 5 days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after receipt of communication in a record from the respondent or the respondent's attorney, send a copy of the communication to the petitioner; and
(6) notify the petitioner if jurisdiction over the respondent cannot be obtained.
(c) A support enforcement agency of the commonwealth that requests registration of a child support order in the commonwealth for enforcement or for modification shall make reasonable efforts:
(1) to ensure that the order to be registered is the controlling order; or
(2) if 2 or more child support orders exist and the identity of the controlling order has not been determined, to ensure that a request for such a determination is made in a tribunal having jurisdiction to do so.
(d) A support enforcement agency of the commonwealth that requests registration and enforcement of a support order, arrears or judgment stated in a foreign currency shall convert the amounts stated in the foreign currency into the equivalent amounts in dollars under the applicable official or market exchange rate as publicly reported.
(e) A support enforcement agency of the commonwealth shall issue or request a tribunal of the commonwealth to issue a child support order and an income withholding order that redirect payment of current support, arrears and interest if requested to do so by a support enforcement agency of another state pursuant to section 3–319.
(f) This chapter does not create or negate a relationship of attorney and client or other fiduciary relationship between a support enforcement agency or the attorney for the agency and the individual being assisted by the agency.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-308 - Duty of Attorney General

Section 3–308. Duty of attorney general.
(a) If the attorney general determines that the support enforcement agency is neglecting or refusing to provide services to an individual, the attorney general may order the agency to perform its duties under this chapter or may provide those services directly to the individual.
(b) The attorney general may determine that a foreign country has established a reciprocal arrangement for child support with the commonwealth and take appropriate action for notification of the determination.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-310 - Duties of the State Information Agency

Section 3–310. Duties of state information agency.
(a) The department of revenue is the state information agency under this chapter.
(b) The state information agency shall:
(1) compile and maintain a current list, including addresses, of the tribunals in the commonwealth which have jurisdiction under this chapter and any support enforcement agencies in the commonwealth and transmit a copy to the state information agency of every other state;
(2) maintain a register of names and addresses of tribunals and support enforcement agencies received from other states;
(3) forward to the appropriate tribunal in the place in the commonwealth in which the obligee who is an individual or the obligor resides, or in which the obligor's property is believed to be located, all documents concerning a proceeding under this chapter received from another state or a foreign country; and
(4) obtain information concerning the location of the obligor and the obligor's property within the commonwealth not exempt from execution, by such means as postal verification and federal or state locator services, examination of telephone directories, requests for the obligor's address from employers or other sources of periodic income and examination of governmental records, including, to the extent not prohibited by other law, those relating to real property, vital statistics, law enforcement, taxation, motor vehicles, driver's licenses and social security.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-311 - Pleadings and Accompanying Documents

Section 3–311. Pleadings and accompanying documents.
(a) In a proceeding under this chapter, a petitioner seeking to establish a support order, to determine parentage of a child or to register and modify a support order of a tribunal of another state or a foreign country must file a petition. Unless otherwise ordered under section 3–312, the petition or accompanying documents must provide, so far as known, the name, residential address and social security numbers of the obligor and the obligee or the parent and alleged parent and the name, sex, residential address, social security number and date of birth of each child for whose benefit support is sought or whose parentage is to be determined. Unless filed at the time of registration, the petition must be accompanied by a copy of any support order known to have been issued by another tribunal. The petition may include any other information that may assist in locating or identifying the respondent.
(b) The petition must specify the relief sought. The petition and accompanying documents must conform substantially with the requirements imposed by the forms mandated by federal law for use in cases filed by a support enforcement agency.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-312 - Nondisclosure of Information in Exceptional Circumstances

Section 3–312. Nondisclosure of information in exceptional circumstances. If a party alleges in an affidavit or a pleading under oath that the health, safety or liberty of a party or child would be jeopardized by disclosure of specific identifying information, that information must be sealed and may not be disclosed to the other party or the public. After a hearing in which a tribunal takes into consideration the health, safety or liberty of the party or child, the tribunal may order disclosure of information that the tribunal determines to be in the interest of justice.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-313 - Costs and Fees

Section 3–313. Costs and fees.
(a) The petitioner may not be required to pay a filing fee or other costs.
(b) If an obligee prevails, a responding tribunal of the commonwealth may assess against an obligor filing fees, reasonable attorney's fees, other costs, and necessary travel and other reasonable expenses incurred by the obligee and the obligee's witnesses. The tribunal may not assess fees, costs or expenses against the obligee or the support enforcement agency of either the initiating or the responding state or foreign country, except as provided by other law. Attorney's fees may be taxed as costs and may be ordered paid directly to the attorney, who may enforce the order in the attorney's own name. Payment of support owed to the obligee has priority over fees, costs and expenses.
(c) The tribunal shall order the payment of costs and reasonable attorney's fees if it determines that a hearing was requested primarily for delay. In a proceeding under Article 6, a hearing is presumed to have been requested primarily for delay if a registered support order is confirmed or enforced without change.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-314 - Limited Immunity of Petitioner

Section 3–314. Limited immunity of petitioner.
(a) Participation by a petitioner in a proceeding under this chapter before a responding tribunal, whether in person, by private attorney or through services provided by the support enforcement agency, does not confer personal jurisdiction over the petitioner in another proceeding.
(b) A petitioner is not amenable to service of civil process while physically present in the commonwealth to participate in a proceeding under this chapter.
(c) The immunity granted by this section does not extend to civil litigation based on acts unrelated to a proceeding under this chapter committed by a party while physically present in the commonwealth to participate in the proceeding.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-315 - Nonparentage as Defense

Section 3–315. Nonparentage as defense. A party whose parentage of a child has been previously determined by or pursuant to law may not plead nonparentage as a defense to a proceeding under this chapter.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-316 - Special Rules of Evidence and Procedure

Section 3–316. Special rules of evidence and procedure.
(a) The physical presence of a nonresident party who is an individual in a tribunal of the commonwealth is not required for the establishment, enforcement or modification of a support order or the rendition of a judgment determining parentage of a child.
(b) An affidavit, a document substantially complying with federally mandated forms or a document incorporated by reference in any of them, which would not be excluded under the hearsay rule if given in person, is admissible in evidence if given under penalty of perjury by a party or witness residing outside the commonwealth.
(c) A copy of the record of child support payments certified as a true copy of the original by the custodian of the record may be forwarded to a responding tribunal. The copy is evidence of facts asserted in it and is admissible to show whether payments were made.
(d) Copies of bills for testing for parentage of a child, and for prenatal and postnatal health care of the mother and child, furnished to the adverse party at least 10 days before trial, are admissible in evidence to prove the amount of the charges billed and that the charges were reasonable, necessary and customary.
(e) Documentary evidence transmitted from outside the commonwealth to a tribunal of the commonwealth by telephone, telecopier, or other electronic means that do not provide an original record may not be excluded from evidence on an objection based on the means of transmission.
(f) In a proceeding under this chapter, a tribunal of the commonwealth shall permit a party or witness residing outside the commonwealth to be deposed or to testify under penalty of perjury by telephone, audiovisual means, or other electronic means at a designated tribunal or other location. A tribunal of the commonwealth shall cooperate with other tribunals in designating an appropriate location for the deposition or testimony.
(g) If a party called to testify at a civil hearing refuses to answer on the ground that the testimony may be self-incriminating, the trier of fact may draw an adverse inference from the refusal.
(h) A privilege against disclosure of communications between spouses does not apply in a proceeding under this chapter.
(i) The defense of immunity based on the relationship of husband and wife or parent and child does not apply in a proceeding under this chapter.
(j) A voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, certified as a true copy, is admissible to establish parentage of the child.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-317 - Communications Between Tribunals

Section 3–317. Communications between tribunals. A tribunal of the commonwealth may communicate with a tribunal outside the commonwealth in a record or by telephone, electronic mail or other means, to obtain information concerning the laws, the legal effect of a judgment, decree or order of that tribunal and the status of a proceeding. A tribunal of the commonwealth may furnish similar information by similar means to a tribunal outside the commonwealth.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-318 - Assistance With Discovery

Section 3–318. Assistance with discovery. A tribunal of the commonwealth may:
(1) request a tribunal outside the commonwealth to assist in obtaining discovery; and
(2) upon request, compel a person over which it has jurisdiction to respond to a discovery order issued by a tribunal outside the commonwealth.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 3-319 - Receipt and Disbursement of Payments

Section 3–319. Receipt and disbursement of payments.
(a) A support enforcement agency or tribunal of the commonwealth shall disburse promptly any amounts received pursuant to a support order, as directed by the order. The agency or tribunal shall furnish to a requesting party or tribunal of another state or a foreign country a certified statement by the custodian of the record of the amounts and dates of all payments received.
(b) If neither the obligor, nor the obligee who is an individual, nor the child resides in the commonwealth, upon request from the support enforcement agency of the commonwealth or another state, the support enforcement agency of the commonwealth or a tribunal of the commonwealth shall:
(1) direct that the support payment be made to the support enforcement agency in the state in which the obligee is receiving services; and
(2) issue and send to the obligor's employer a conforming income withholding order or an administrative notice of change of payee, reflecting the redirected payments.
(c) The support enforcement agency of the commonwealth receiving redirected payments from another state pursuant to a law similar to subsection (b) shall furnish to a requesting party or tribunal of the other state a certified statement by the custodian of the record of the amount and dates of all payments received.
{HG4}ARTICLE 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF SUPPORT ORDER OR DETERMINATION OF PARENTAGE
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 4-401 - Establishment of Support Order

Section 4–401. Establishment of support order.
(a) If a support order entitled to recognition under this chapter has not been issued, a responding tribunal of the commonwealth with personal jurisdiction over the parties may issue a support order if:
(1) the individual seeking the order resides outside the commonwealth; or
(2) the support enforcement agency seeking the order is located outside the commonwealth.
(b) The tribunal may issue a temporary child support order if the tribunal determines that such an order is appropriate and the individual ordered to pay is:
(1) a presumed father of the child;
(2) petitioning to have his paternity adjudicated;
(3) identified as the father of the child through genetic testing;
(4) an alleged father who has declined to submit to genetic testing;
(5) shown by clear and convincing evidence to be the father of the child;
(6) an acknowledged father as provided by chapter 209C;
(7) the mother of the child; or
(8) an individual who has been ordered to pay child support in a previous proceeding and the order has not been reversed or vacated.
(c) Upon finding, after notice and opportunity to be heard, that an obligor owes a duty of support, the tribunal shall issue a support order directed to the obligor and may issue other orders pursuant to section 3–305.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 4-402 - Proceeding to Determine Parentage

Section 4–402. Proceeding to determine parentage. A tribunal of the commonwealth authorized to determine parentage of a child may serve as a responding tribunal in a proceeding to determine parentage of a child brought under this chapter or a law or procedure substantially similar to this chapter.
{HG4}ARTICLE 5. ENFORCEMENT OF SUPPORT ORDER WITHOUT REGISTRATION
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 5-501 - Employer's Receipt of Income-Withholding Order of Another State

Section 5–501. Employer's receipt of income-withholding order of another State.
An income withholding order issued in another state may be sent by or on behalf of the obligee, or by the support enforcement agency, to the person defined as the obligor's employer under section 1A of chapter 119A or to any other source of periodic income to the obligor, without first filing a petition or comparable pleading or registering the order with a tribunal of the commonwealth.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 5-502 - Employer's Compliance With Income Withholding Order of Another State

Section 5–502. Employer's compliance with income withholding order of another state.
(a) Upon receipt of an income withholding order, the obligor's employer or other source of periodic income shall immediately provide a copy of the order to the obligor.
(b) The employer or other source of periodic income shall treat an income withholding order issued in another state which appears regular on its face as if it had been issued by a tribunal of the commonwealth.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d) and section 5–503, the employer or other source of periodic income shall withhold and distribute the funds as directed in the withholding order by complying with terms of the order which specify:
(1) the duration and amount of periodic payments of current child support, stated as a sum certain;
(2) the person designated to receive payments and the address to which the payments are to be forwarded;
(3) medical support, whether in the form of periodic cash payment, stated as a sum certain, or ordering the obligor to provide health insurance coverage for the child under a policy available through the obligor's employment;
(4) the amount of periodic payments of fees and costs for a support enforcement agency, the issuing tribunal and the obligee's attorney, stated as sums certain; and
(5) the amount of periodic payments of arrearages and interest on arrearages, stated as sums certain.
(d) An employer or other source of periodic income shall comply with the law of the state of the obligor's principal place of employment for withholding from income with respect to:
(1) the fee of the employer or other source of periodic income for processing an income withholding order;
(2) the maximum amount permitted to be withheld from the obligor's income; and
(3) the times within which the employer or other source of periodic income must implement the withholding order and forward the child support payment.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 5-503 - Employer's Compliance With 2 or More Income Withholding Orders

Section 5–503. Employer's compliance with 2 or more income withholding orders. If an obligor's employer or other source of periodic income receives 2 or more income withholding orders with respect to the earnings of the same obligor, the employer or other source of periodic income satisfies the terms of the orders if the employer or other source of periodic income complies with the law of the state of the obligor's principal place of employment to establish the priorities for withholding and allocating income withheld for 2 or more child support obligees.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 5-504 - Immunity From Civil Liability

Section 5–504. Immunity from civil liability. An employer or other source of periodic income that complies with an income withholding order issued in another state in accordance with this chapter is not subject to civil liability to an individual or agency with regard to the withholding of child support by the employer or other source of periodic income from the obligor's income.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 5-505 - Penalties for Noncompliance

Section 5–505. Penalties for noncompliance. An employer or other source of periodic income that willfully fails to comply with an income withholding order issued in another state and received for enforcement is subject to the same penalties that may be imposed for noncompliance with an order issued by a tribunal of the commonwealth.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 5-506 - Contest by Obligor

Section 5–506. Contest by obligor.
(a) An obligor may contest the validity or enforcement of an income withholding order issued in another state and received directly by an employer or other source of periodic income in the commonwealth by registering the order in a tribunal of the commonwealth and filing a contest to that order as provided in Article 6 or otherwise contesting the order in the same manner as if the order had been issued by a tribunal of the commonwealth.
(b) The obligor shall give notice of the contest to:
(1) a support enforcement agency providing services to the obligee;
(2) each employer or other source of periodic income that has directly received an income withholding order relating to the obligor; and
(3) the person designated to receive payments in the income withholding order or, if no person is designated, to the obligee.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 5-507 - Administrative Enforcement of Orders

Section 5–507. Administrative enforcement of orders. (a) A party or support enforcement agency seeking to enforce a support order or an income-withholding order, or both, issued in another state or a foreign support order may send the documents required for registering the order to a support enforcement agency of the commonwealth.
(b) Upon receipt of the documents, the support enforcement agency, without initially seeking to register the order, shall consider and, if appropriate, use any administrative procedure authorized by the law of the commonwealth to enforce a support order or an income-withholding order or both. If the obligor does not contest administrative enforcement, the order need not be registered. If the obligor contests the validity or administrative enforcement of the order, the support enforcement agency shall register the order pursuant to this chapter.
{HG4}ARTICLE 6. REGISTRATION, ENFORCEMENT AND MODIFICATION OF SUPPORT ORDER
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 6-601 - Registration of Order for Enforcement

Section 6–601. Registration of order for enforcement. A support order or an income-withholding order issued in another state or a foreign support order may be registered in the commonwealth for enforcement.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 6-602 - Procedure to Register Order for Enforcement

Section 6–602. Procedure to register order for enforcement.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in section 7–706, a support order or income-withholding order of another state or a foreign support order may be registered in the commonwealth by sending the following records to the appropriate tribunal in the commonwealth:
(1) a letter of transmittal to the tribunal requesting registration and enforcement;
(2) 2 copies, including 1 certified copy, of the order to be registered, including any modification of the order;
(3) a sworn statement by the person requesting registration or a certified statement by the custodian of the records showing the amount of any arrearage;
(4) the name of the obligor and, if known:
(i) the obligor's address and social security number;
(ii) the name and address of the obligor's employer and any other source of income of the obligor; and
(iii) a description and the location of property of the obligor in the commonwealth not exempt from execution; and
(5) except as otherwise provided in section 3-312, the name and address of the obligee and, if applicable, the person to whom support payments are to be remitted.
(b) On receipt of a request for registration, the registering tribunal shall cause the order to be filed as an order of a tribunal of another state or a foreign support order, together with 1 copy of the documents and information, regardless of their form.
(c) A petition or comparable pleading seeking a remedy that must be affirmatively sought under other law of the commonwealth may be filed at the same time as the request for registration or later. The pleading must specify the grounds for the remedy sought.
(d) If 2 or more orders are in effect, the person requesting registration shall:
(1) furnish to the tribunal a copy of every support order asserted to be in effect in addition to the documents specified in this section;
(2) specify the order alleged to be the controlling order, if any; and
(3) specify the amount of consolidated arrears, if any.
(e) A request for a determination of which is the controlling order may be filed separately or with a request for registration and enforcement or for registration and modification. The person requesting registration shall give notice of the request to each party whose rights may be affected by the determination.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 6-603 - Effect of Registration for Enforcement

Section 6–603. Effect of registration for enforcement.
(a) A support order or income-withholding order issued in another state or a foreign support order is registered when the order is filed in the registering tribunal of the commonwealth.
(b) A registered support order issued in another state or a foreign country is enforceable in the same manner and is subject to the same procedures as an order issued by a tribunal of the commonwealth.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a tribunal of the commonwealth shall recognize and enforce, but may not modify, a registered support order if the issuing tribunal had jurisdiction.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 6-604 - Choice of Law

Section 6–604. Choice of law.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d), the law of the issuing state or foreign country governs:
(1) the nature, extent, amount and duration of current payments under a registered support order;
(2) the computation and payment of arrearages and accrual of interest on the arrearages under the support order; and
(3) the existence and satisfaction of other obligations under the support order.
(b) In a proceeding for arrears under a registered support order, the statute of limitation of the commonwealth or of the issuing state or foreign country, whichever is longer, applies.
(c) A responding tribunal of the commonwealth shall apply the procedures and remedies of the commonwealth to enforce current support and collect arrears and interest due on a support order of another state or a foreign country registered in the commonwealth.
(d) After a tribunal of the commonwealth or another state determines which is the controlling order and issues an order consolidating arrears, if any, a tribunal of the commonwealth shall prospectively apply the law of the state or foreign country issuing the controlling order, including its law on interest on arrears, on current and future support and on consolidated arrears.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 6-605 - Notice of Registration of Order

Section 6–605. Notice of registration of order.
(a) When a support order or income-withholding order issued in another state or a foreign support order is registered, the registering tribunal of the commonwealth shall notify the nonregistering party. The notice must be accompanied by a copy of the registered order and the documents and relevant information accompanying the order.
(b) A notice must inform the nonregistering party:
(1) that a registered support order is enforceable as of the date of registration in the same manner as an order issued by a tribunal of the commonwealth;
(2) that a hearing to contest the validity or enforcement of the registered order must be requested within 20 days after notice unless the registered order is under section 7–707;
(3) that failure to contest the validity or enforcement of the registered order in a timely manner will result in confirmation of the order and enforcement of the order and the alleged arrearages; and
(4) of the amount of any alleged arrearages.
(c) If the registering party asserts that 2 or more orders are in effect, a notice must also:
(1) identify the 2 or more orders and the order alleged by the registering party to be the controlling order and the consolidated arrears, if any;
(2) notify the nonregistering party of the right to a determination of which is the controlling order;
(3) state that the procedures provided in subsection (b) apply to the determination of which is the controlling order; and
(4) state that failure to contest the validity or enforcement of the order alleged to be the controlling order in a timely manner may result in confirmation that the order is the controlling order.
(d) Upon registration of an income-withholding order for enforcement, the support enforcement agency or the registering tribunal shall notify the obligor's employer pursuant to section 12 of chapter 119A.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 6-606 - Procedure to Contest Validity or Enforcement of Registered Support Order

Section 6–606. Procedure to contest validity or enforcement of registered support order.
(a) A nonregistering party seeking to contest the validity or enforcement of a registered support order in the commonwealth shall request a hearing within the time required by section 6–605. The nonregistering party may seek to vacate the registration, to assert any defense to an allegation of noncompliance with the registered order or to contest the remedies being sought or the amount of any alleged arrearages pursuant to section 6–607.
(b) If the nonregistering party fails to contest the validity or enforcement of the registered support order in a timely manner, the order is confirmed by operation of law.
(c) If a nonregistering party requests a hearing to contest the validity or enforcement of the registered support order, the registering tribunal shall schedule the matter for hearing and give notice to the parties of the date, time and place of the hearing.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 6-607 - Contest of Registration or Enforcement

Section 6–607. Contest of registration or enforcement.
(a) A party contesting the validity or enforcement of a registered support order or seeking to vacate the registration has the burden of proving 1 or more of the following defenses:
(1) the issuing tribunal lacked personal jurisdiction over the contesting party;
(2) the order was obtained by fraud;
(3) the order has been vacated, suspended or modified by a later order;
(4) the issuing tribunal has stayed the order pending appeal;
(5) there is a defense under the law of the commonwealth to the remedy sought;
(6) full or partial payment has been made;
(7) the statute of limitation under section 6-604 precludes enforcement of some or all of the alleged arrearages; or
(8) the alleged controlling order is not the controlling order.
(b) If a party presents evidence establishing a full or partial defense under subsection (a), a tribunal may stay enforcement of a registered support order, continue the proceeding to permit production of additional relevant evidence and issue other appropriate orders. An uncontested portion of the registered support order may be enforced by all remedies available under the law of the commonwealth.
(c) If the contesting party does not establish a defense under subsection (a) as to the validity or enforcement of a registered support order, the registering tribunal shall issue an order confirming the order.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 6-608 - Confirmed Order

Section 6–608. Confirmed order. Confirmation of a registered support order, whether by operation of law or after notice and hearing, precludes further contest of the order with respect to any matter that could have been asserted at the time of registration.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 6-609 - Procedure to Register Child Support Order of Another State for Modification

Section 6–609. Procedure to register child support order of another state for modification. A party or support enforcement agency seeking to modify, or to modify and enforce, a child support order issued in another state shall register that order in the commonwealth in the same manner provided in sections 6–601 to 6–608, inclusive, if the order has not been registered. A petition or comparable pleading for modification may be filed at the same time as a request for registration or later. The pleading must specify the grounds for modification.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 6-610 - Effect of Registration for Modification

Section 6–610. Effect of registration for modification. A tribunal of the commonwealth may enforce a child support order of another state registered for purposes of modification, in the same manner as if the order had been issued by a tribunal of the commonwealth, but the registered support order may be modified only if the requirements of section 6–611 or 6–613 have been met.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title III - Domestic Relations › Chapter 209d - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act › Article 1 - General Provisions › Section 6-611 - Modification of Child Support Order of Another State

Section 6–611. Modification of child support order of another state.
(a) If section 6–613 does not apply, upon petition a tribunal of the commonwealth may modify a child support order issued in another state which is registered in the commonwealth if, after notice and hearing, the tribunal finds that:
(1) the following requirements are met:
(i) neither the child, nor the obligee who is an individual, nor the obligor resides in the issuing state;
(ii) a petitioner who is a nonresident of the commonwealth seeks modification; and
(iii) the respondent is subject to the personal jurisdiction of the tribunal of the commonwealth; or
(2) the commonwealth is the residence of the child or a party who is an individual is subject to the personal jurisdiction of the tribunal of the commonwealth and all of the parties who are individuals have filed consents in a record in the issuing tribunal for a tribunal of the commonwealth to modify the support order and assume continuing, exclusive jurisdiction.
(b) Modification of a registered child support order is subject to the same requirements, procedures and defenses that apply to the modification of an order issued by a tribunal of the commonwealth and the order may be enforced and satisfied in the same manner.
(c) A tribunal of the commonwealth may not modify any aspect of a child support order that may not be modified under the law of the issuing state, including the duration of the obligation of support. If 2 or more tribunals have issued child support orders for the same obligor and same child, the order that controls and must be so recognized under section 2–207 establishes the aspects of the support order which are nonmodifiable.
(d) In a proceeding to modify a child support order, the law of the state that is determined to have issued the initial controlling order governs the duration of the obligation of support. The obligor's fulfillment of the duty of support established by that order precludes imposition of a further obligation of support by a tribunal of the commonwealth.
(e) On the issuance of an order by a tribunal of the commonwealth modifying a child support order issued in another state, the tribunal of the commonwealth becomes the tribunal having continuing, exclusive jurisdiction.
(f) Notwithstanding subsections (a) to (e), inclusive, and section 2–201(b), a tribunal of the commonwealth retains jurisdiction to modify an order issued by a tribunal of the commonwealth if:
(1) 1 party resides in another state; and
(2) the other party resides outside the United States.