reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter II - Jurisdiction (§§ 1301 — 1311) › § 1304 - Simultaneous proceedings

(a) A tribunal of Puerto Rico may exercise jurisdiction to establish a support order if the petition or comparable pleading is filed after a pleading is filed in another state or a foreign country only if:
(1) The petition or comparable pleading in Puerto Rico is filed before the expiration of the time allowed in the other state or the foreign country for filing a responsive pleading challenging the exercise of jurisdiction by the other state or the foreign country;
(2) the contesting party timely challenges the exercise of jurisdiction in the other state or the foreign country; and
(3) if relevant, Puerto Rico is the home state of the child.
(b) A tribunal of Puerto Rico may not exercise jurisdiction to establish a support order if the petition or comparable pleading is filed before a petition or comparable pleading is filed in another state or a foreign country if:
(1) The petition or comparable pleading in the other state or foreign country is filed before the expiration of the time allowed in Puerto Rico for filing a responsive pleading challenging the exercise of jurisdiction by Puerto Rico;
(2) the contesting party timely challenges the exercise of jurisdiction in Puerto Rico; and
(3) if relevant, the other state or foreign country is the home state of the child.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 204.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter II - Jurisdiction (§§ 1301 — 1311) › § 1305 - Continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify child-support order

(a) A tribunal of Puerto Rico that has issued a child-support order consistent with the law of Puerto Rico has and shall exercise continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify its child-support order if the order is the controlling order and:
(1) At the time of the filing of a request for modification Puerto Rico is the residence of the obligor, the individual obligee, or the child for whose benefit the support order is issued; or
(2) even if Puerto Rico is not the residence of the obligor, the individual obligee, or the child for whose benefit the support order is issued, the parties consent in a record or in open court that the tribunal of Puerto Rico may continue to exercise jurisdiction to modify its order.
(b) A tribunal of Puerto Rico that has issued a child-support order consistent with the law of Puerto Rico may not exercise continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify the order if:
(1) All of the parties who are individuals file consent in a record with the tribunal of Puerto Rico that a tribunal of another state that has jurisdiction over at least one of the parties who is an individual or that is located in the state of residence of the child may modify the order and assume continuing, exclusive jurisdiction; or
(2) its order in not the controlling order.
(c) If a tribunal of another state has issued a child-support order pursuant to UIFSA or a law substantially similar to that act which modifies a child-support order of a tribunal of Puerto Rico, tribunals of Puerto Rico shall recognize the continuing, exclusive jurisdiction of the tribunal of the other state.
(d) A tribunal of Puerto Rico that lacks continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify a child-support order may serve as an initiating tribunal to request a tribunal of another state to modify a support order issued in that state.
(e) A temporary support order issued ex parte or pending resolution of a jurisdictional conflict does not create continuing, exclusive jurisdiction in the issuing tribunal.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 205.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter II - Jurisdiction (§§ 1301 — 1311) › § 1306 - Continuing jurisdiction to enforce child-support order

(a) A tribunal of Puerto Rico that has issued a child-support order consistent with the law of Puerto Rico may serve as an initiating tribunal to request a tribunal of another state to enforce:
(1) The order if the order is the controlling order and has not been modified by a tribunal of another state that assumed jurisdiction pursuant to UIFSA; or
(2) a money judgment for arrears of support and interest on the order accrued before a determination that an order of a tribunal of another state is the controlling order.
(b) A tribunal of Puerto Rico having continuing jurisdiction over a support order may act as a responding tribunal to enforce the order.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 206.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter II - Jurisdiction (§§ 1301 — 1311) › § 1308 - Child-support orders for two or more obligees

In responding to registrations or petitions for enforcement of two or more child-support orders in effect at the same time with regard to the same obligor and different individual obligees, at least one of which was issued by a tribunal of another state or a foreign country, a tribunal of Puerto Rico shall enforce those orders in the same manner as if the orders had been issued by a tribunal of Puerto Rico.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 208.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter II - Jurisdiction (§§ 1301 — 1311) › § 1309 - Credit for payments

A tribunal of Puerto Rico shall credit amounts collected for a particular period pursuant to any child-support order against the amounts owed for the same period under any other child-support order for support of the same child issued by a tribunal of Puerto Rico, another state, or a foreign country.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 209.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter II - Jurisdiction (§§ 1301 — 1311) › § 1310 - Application of act to nonresident subject to personal jurisdiction

A tribunal of Puerto Rico exercising personal jurisdiction over a nonresident in a proceeding under this chapter, under other law of Puerto Rico relating to a support order, or recognizing a foreign support order may receive evidence from outside Puerto Rico pursuant to § 1336 of this title, communicate with a tribunal outside Puerto Rico pursuant to § 1337 of this title, and obtain discovery through a tribunal outside Puerto Rico pursuant to § 1338 of this title. In all other respects, §§ 1321—1386 of this title do not apply, and the tribunal shall apply the procedural and substantive law of Puerto Rico.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 210.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter II - Jurisdiction (§§ 1301 — 1311) › § 1311 - Continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify spousal-support order

(a) A tribunal of Puerto Rico issuing a spousal-support order consistent with the law of Puerto Rico has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify the spousal-support order throughout the existence of the support obligation.
(b) A tribunal of Puerto Rico may not modify a spousal-support order issued by a tribunal of another state or a foreign country having continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over that order under the law of that state or foreign country.
(c) A tribunal of Puerto Rico that has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over a spousal-support order may serve as:
(1) An initiating tribunal to request a tribunal of another state to enforce the spousal-support order issued in Puerto Rico; or
(2) a responding tribunal to enforce or modify its own spousal-support order.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 211.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1321 - Proceedings under this chapter

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, this subchapter applies to all proceedings under this chapter.
(b) An individual petitioner or a support enforcement agency may commence 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 301.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1322 - 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 302.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1323 - Application of law of state

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a responding tribunal of Puerto Rico shall:
(1) Apply the procedural and substantive law generally applicable to similar proceedings originating in Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 303.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1324 - Duties of initiating tribunal

(a) Upon the filing of a petition authorized by this chapter, an initiating tribunal of Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 304.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1325 - Duties and powers of responding tribunal

(a) When a responding tribunal of Puerto Rico receives a petition or comparable pleading from an initiating tribunal or directly pursuant to § 1321(b) of this title, 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 Puerto Rico, to the extent not prohibited by other law, may do one 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 bench warrant for an obligor who has failed after proper notice to appear at a hearing ordered by the tribunal and enter 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 Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 305.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1326 - Inappropriate tribunal

If a petition or comparable pleading is received by an inappropriate tribunal of Puerto Rico, the tribunal shall forward the pleading and accompanying documents to an appropriate tribunal of Puerto Rico or another state and notify the petitioner where and when the pleading was sent.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 306.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1327 - Duties of support enforcement agency

(a) In a proceeding under this chapter, ASUME, 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 § 1291(5)(a) or (d) of this title; and
(3) may provide services to a petitioner who is an individual not residing in a state.
(b) As the support enforcement agency of Puerto Rico providing services to the petitioner, ASUME shall:
(1) Take all steps necessary to enable an appropriate tribunal of Puerto Rico, 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 two (2) 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 two (2) 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) When ASUME requests registration of a child-support order in Puerto Rico for enforcement or for modification, it shall make reasonable efforts:
(1) To ensure that the order to be registered is the controlling order; or
(2) if two 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) When ASUME requests registration and enforcement of a support order, arrears, or judgment stated in a foreign currency it 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) ASUME shall issue or request a tribunal of Puerto Rico 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 § 1339 of this title.
(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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 307.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1328 - Duty of the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Department of State

(a) If the Attorney General determines that ASUME 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 Secretary of the Department of State may determine that a foreign country has established a reciprocal arrangement for child support with Puerto Rico and take appropriate action for notification of the determination.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 308.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1329 - Private counsel

An individual may employ private counsel to represent the individual in proceedings authorized by this chapter.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 309.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1330 - Duties of state information agency

(a) ASUME is the state information agency under this chapter.
(b) As the state information agency, ASUME shall:
(1) Compile and maintain a current list, including addresses, of the tribunals in Puerto Rico which have jurisdiction under this chapter and any support enforcement agencies in Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico 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, 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 310.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1331 - 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 § 1332 of this title, 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 311.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1332 - 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 312.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1333 - 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 Puerto Rico 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 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 §§ 1371—1386 of this title, a hearing is presumed to have been requested primarily for delay if a registered support order is confirmed or enforced without change.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 313.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1334 - 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 Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico to participate in the proceeding.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 314.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1335 - 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 315.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1336 - Special rules of evidence and procedure

(a) The physical presence of a nonresident party who is an individual in a tribunal of Puerto Rico is not required for the establishment, enforcement, or modification of a support order or the rendition of a judgement 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 Puerto Rico.
(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 ten (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 Puerto Rico to a tribunal of Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico shall permit a party or witness residing outside of Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 316.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1337 - Communications between tribunals

A tribunal of Puerto Rico may communicate with a tribunal outside Puerto Rico in a record or by telephone, electronic mail, or other means, to obtain information concerning the laws, the legal effect of a judgement, decree, or order of that tribunal, and the status of a proceeding. A tribunal of Puerto Rico may furnish similar information by similar means to a tribunal outside Puerto Rico.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 317.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1338 - Assistance with discovery

A tribunal of Puerto Rico may:
(1) Request a tribunal outside Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 318.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter III - Civil provisions of general application (§§ 1321 — 1339) › § 1339 - Receipt and disbursement of payments

(a) ASUME or a tribunal of Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico, upon request from ASUME or the support enforcement agency of another state, ASUME or a tribunal of Puerto Rico 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) When ASUME is the agency receiving redirected payments from another state pursuant to a law similar to subsection (b) of this section, it 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 319.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter IV - Establishment of Support Order or Determination of Parentage (§§ 1351 — 1352) › § 1351 - Establishment of support order

(a) If a support order entitled to recognition under this chapter has not been issued, a responding tribunal of Puerto Rico with personal jurisdiction over the parties may issue a support order if:
(1) The individual seeking the order resides outside Puerto Rico; or
(2) the support enforcement agency seeking the order is located outside Puerto Rico.
(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 applicable state law;
(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 § 1325 of this title.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 401.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter IV - Establishment of Support Order or Determination of Parentage (§§ 1351 — 1352) › § 1352 - Proceeding to determine parentage

A tribunal of Puerto Rico 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 402.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter V - Enforcement of Support Order without Registration (§§ 1361 — 1367) › § 1361 - 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 the income-withholding law of Puerto Rico without first filing a petition or comparable pleading or registering the order with a tribunal of Puerto Rico.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 501.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter V - Enforcement of Support Order without Registration (§§ 1361 — 1367) › § 1362 - Employer’s compliance with income-withholding order of another state

(a) Upon receipt of an income-withholding order, the obligor’s employer shall immediately provide a copy of the order to the obligor.
(b) The employer 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 Puerto Rico.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d) of this section and § 1363 of this title, the employer 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 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 employer’s fee 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 must implement the withholding order and forward the child-support payment.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 502.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter V - Enforcement of Support Order without Registration (§§ 1361 — 1367) › § 1363 - Employer’s compliance with two or more income-withholding orders

If an obligor’s employer receives two or more income-withholding orders with respect to the earnings of the same obligor, the employer satisfies the terms of the orders if the employer 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 two or more child-support obligees.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 503.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter V - Enforcement of Support Order without Registration (§§ 1361 — 1367) › § 1364 - Immunity from civil liability

An employer that complies with an income-withholding order issued in another state in accordance with this subchapter is not subject to civil liability to an individual or agency with regard to the employer’s withholding of child support from the obligor’s income.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 504.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter V - Enforcement of Support Order without Registration (§§ 1361 — 1367) › § 1365 - Penalties for noncompliance

An employer 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 Puerto Rico.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 505.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter V - Enforcement of Support Order without Registration (§§ 1361 — 1367) › § 1366 - 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 in Puerto Rico by registering the order in a tribunal of Puerto Rico and filing a contest to that order as provided in §§ 1371—1386 of this title, or otherwise contesting the order in the same manner as if the order had been issued by a tribunal of Puerto Rico.
(b) The obligor shall give notice of the contest to:
(1) A support enforcement agency providing services to the obligee;
(2) each employer 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 506.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter V - Enforcement of Support Order without Registration (§§ 1361 — 1367) › § 1367 - 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 ASUME.
(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 Puerto Rico 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 507.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter VI - Registration, Enforcement and Modification of Support Order (§§ 1371 — 1386) › § 1371 - Registration of order for enforcement

A support order or income-withholding order issued in another state or a foreign support order may be registered in Puerto Rico for enforcement.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 601.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter VI - Registration, Enforcement and Modification of Support Order (§§ 1371 — 1386) › § 1372 - Procedure to register order for enforcement

(a) Except as otherwise provided in § 1396 of this title, a support order or income-withholding order of another state or a foreign support order may be registered in Puerto Rico by sending the following records to the appropriate tribunal in Puerto Rico:
(1) A letter of transmittal to the tribunal requesting registration and enforcement;
(2) two (2) copies, including one 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:
(A) The obligor’s address and social security number;
(B) the name and address of the obligor’s employer and any other source of income of the obligor; and
(C) a description and the location of property of the obligor in Puerto Rico not exempt from execution; and
(5) except as otherwise provided in § 1332 of this title, 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 a foreign judgment, together with one 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 Puerto Rico 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 two 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 consolidates 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 602.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter VI - Registration, Enforcement and Modification of Support Order (§§ 1371 — 1386) › § 1373 - 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 Puerto Rico.
(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 Puerto Rico.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a tribunal of Puerto Rico shall recognize and enforce, but may not modify, a registered support order if the issuing tribunal had jurisdiction.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 603.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter VI - Registration, Enforcement and Modification of Support Order (§§ 1371 — 1386) › § 1374 - Choice of law

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d) of this section, 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 Puerto Rico or of the issuing state or foreign country, whichever is longer, applies.
(c) A responding tribunal of Puerto Rico shall apply the procedures and remedies of Puerto Rico to enforce current support and collect arrears and interest due on a support order of another state or foreign country registered in Puerto Rico.
(d) After a tribunal of this or another state determines which is the controlling order and issues an order consolidating arrears, if any, a tribunal of Puerto Rico 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.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 604.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 46 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (§§ 1291 — 1422) › Subchapter VI - Registration, Enforcement and Modification of Support Order (§§ 1371 — 1386) › § 1375 - 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 Puerto Rico 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 order is enforceable as of the date of registration in the same manner as an order issued by a tribunal of Puerto Rico;
(2) that a hearing to contest the validity or enforcement of the registered order must be requested within twenty (20) days after notice unless the registered order is under § 1397 of this title;
(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 two or more orders are in effect, a notice must also:
(1) Identify the two or more orders and the order alleged by the registering party to be the controlling or der 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) of this section 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 the income-withholding law of Puerto Rico.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 605.