Child support is an important monetary resource for many custodial parents. The Texas Attorney General’s Office understands this and it provides certain child support services to those parents who need assistance. If you wish to learn more about the services, you may read one of our earlier blog posts, which discussed the services in detail.
Custodial parents may wish to apply for the Texas Attorney General’s child support services for various reasons. For example, a custodial parent who does not have a child support order may need one. Again, if a parent has a registry-only case with the Attorney General’s Office and if that parent needs other services, such as child support enforcement or modification, the parent can apply to turn the case into a full service case. All applicants can request services online or by mail or e-mail.
Before applying, the parent should be sure about a few things. First, if the applicant receives state benefits, there may already be a child support case with the Attorney General’s office; the applicant can call the Attorney General’s Office to learn the exact details. Second, if the applicant is not a Texas resident, the person may apply for child support services only if there is a Texas child support order in existence or if at least one parent or the child is a resident of Texas.
There may be some cases where a parent is unable to provide copies of all court orders pertaining to the child support case. In such cases, the parent must provide the case number, the date of the order and the name of the court that issued the order. Failure to provide the required details may delay payments for those parents who are already receiving child support from the State Disbursement Unit. However, payments should become regular once all necessary information is updated by the Texas Attorney General’s office.
After reviewing the case, the Attorney General’s office might ask for additional information, communicate hearing dates or discuss settlement offers. If a parent wishes to stop receiving child support services, that parent must inform the Attorney General’s Office, either by mail or online. Parents also have the right to file a complaint with the local Field Ombudsman if the service is not satisfactory.
Source: Attorney General of Texas, “Applying for Child Support Services,” Accessed on April 23, 2015