2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 40. Family Law › Chapter 5. Enforcement of Support › Part 3. Child Support Income Deduction › 40-5-315. Immediate income deductions

40-5-315. Immediate income deductions.
(1) Notwithstanding any provision in this part requiring a delinquency as a prerequisite to an order for income deductions, except as provided in subsection (2), the income of a person obligated to pay child support by an order of a district court issued after October 1, 1991, is subject to an immediate deduction order on the effective date of the order.
(2) An obligor's income is not subject to deduction under this section in any case in which the district court finds:
(a) that there is good cause not to require immediate deduction; or
(b) that there is an alternative arrangement between the parties for the payment of support that provides sufficient security to ensure compliance with the arrangement.
(3) (a) For the purposes of subsection (2), a finding of good cause not to require immediate deduction must, at a minimum, be based on:
(i) a written determination and explanation by the district court as to why implementation of immediate deductions is not in the best interests of the child; and
(ii) in cases involving the modification of support orders, proof of timely payment of previously ordered support.
(b) As used in subsection (2)(b), "alternative arrangement" means a written agreement between the obligor and obligee and, in cases in which there is an assignment of support rights under 53-2-613, the department of public health and human services that has been approved and entered into the record by the district court that issued or modified the support order.
(4) The clerk of court shall administer immediate income deductions under this section. The clerk of court, at any time after docketing the support order or modification of a support order, at the request of the obligee, and without need for amendment to the support order or for any further action by the district court, shall issue the order for income deductions for service upon the obligor's payor. The deduction order must direct the payor to promptly deliver the amount deducted to the department of public health and human services, as provided in 40-5-909, for distribution to the obligee.
(5) Deductions under this section may be terminated only when:
(a) the obligation to pay support has terminated and all arrearages are paid in full;
(b) the obligor requests termination and the obligee and obligor have entered into an alternative arrangement as set forth in subsection (2)(b); or
(c) the department of public health and human services has superseded the deduction order under authority of Title 40, chapter 5, part 4.
(6) If a delinquency occurs subsequent to issuance of an immediate deduction order or if arrearages occur prior to beginning the deductions, the arrearages may be added to the deduction order only after compliance with the notice of hearing requirements of 40-5-305.
(7) (a) After October 1, 1991, whenever a support order is registered as provided by 40-5-1055 or other law, the support order is subject to immediate orders to deduct income under this section.
(b) Withholding income under this section must be imposed when an obligor has income derived from within this state and the support order was issued in another state.
(8) This section applies only to support orders that are not being enforced by the department of public health and human services under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. The withholding of income for support orders being enforced by the department is provided for in Title 40, chapter 5, part 4, and those procedures, if applicable, supersede the provisions of this section.
History: En. Sec. 16, Ch. 635, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 138, Ch. 546, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 69, Ch. 552, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 579, L. 1999.