769.307 Duties of support enforcement agency.

(1) A support enforcement agency of this state, upon request, shall provide services to a petitioner in a proceeding under this chapter.

(2) A support enforcement agency of this state that is providing services to the petitioner shall do all of the following as applicable:

(a) Take all steps necessary to enable an appropriate tribunal of this state, another state, or a foreign country to obtain jurisdiction over the respondent.

(b) Request an appropriate tribunal to set a date, time and place for a hearing.

(c) Make a reasonable effort to obtain all relevant information, including information as to income and property of the parties.

(d) Within 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.

(e) Within 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.

(f) Notify the petitioner if jurisdiction over the respondent cannot be obtained.

(3m) A support enforcement agency of this state that requests registration of a child support order in this state for enforcement or for modification shall make reasonable efforts to do either of the following:

(a) Ensure that the order to be registered is the controlling order.

(b) If 2 or more child support orders exist and the identity of the controlling order has not been determined, ensure that a request for such a determination is made in a tribunal having jurisdiction to do so.

(4) A support enforcement agency of this state 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.

(5) A support enforcement agency of this state shall issue or request a tribunal of this state 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 under s. 769.319.

(6) 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: 1993 a. 326; 1997 a. 27; 2009 a. 321; 2015 a. 82 ss. 4, 12.