Child Support Enforcement

Enforcing Court-Ordered Obligations

The Attorney's Office vigorously pursues enforcement actions against parents who do not pay their court-ordered child support obligation. Minnesota law presumes that a parent with a child support obligation is capable of working full-time and paying the ordered obligation. Most enforcement actions are brought against parents who not only deliberately fail to work and pay, but also fail to pay because they quit or were fired from employment, failed to inform their child support officer of new employment, or failed to inform their employer that they have a child support obligation.

Through aggressive enforcement of court-ordered support obligations, child support enforcement promotes economic security for children and ensures that the obligation for support of children falls where it rightfully belongs - on their parents.

Types of Child Support Enforcement

Enforcement can include:

  • Bank account levies
  • Contempt of court and jail
  • Lump sum withholding from workers' compensation or personal injury settlements
  • Suspension of a driver's license

Enforcement can also include suspension of recreational licenses such as hunting and fishing licenses if other enforcement mechanisms fail to compel the obligated parent to pay his or her support.

Obligation Regulations & Accountability

Parents who have a child support obligation case are obligated by law to keep their child support officer up to date on their personal address, phone number or cell phone, as well as the name, address and phone number of their place of employment. Avoid enforcement actions by staying in touch with your child support officer and by paying your child support every month. If you do not know the name and phone number of your child support officer, please call 507-934-8559.

If you are unemployed through no fault of your own, or have proof that you are ill, injured, or disabled, your child support officer can give you information on how to change your child support obligation. If you owe child support arrears, you are obligated to report any pending workers' compensation, personal injury, or disability claim to your child support officer.

For More Information

If you have any other questions about an enforcement action being brought against you, please contact your child support officer.