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Child support in the United States
From wikilawschool.net. Wiki Law School does not provide legal advice. For educational purposes only.
Regardless of the marital status, refusal to pay child support can result in both civil & criminal contempt.
Crime
While state agencies address non-payment of child support, there exist federal statutes criminalizing refusal to pay child support. According to 18 U.S. Code § 228, non-payment of a legal child support obligation is a criminal offense. To meet the criminal threshold, the back child support amount must exceed $5,000 (as of 2023) 18 U.S.C. § 228 (a)(1).
Cooperation among states
Inter-state enforcement of child support is laid out in federal code: 42 U.S.C. § 666(a)(9)(B).
