§ 159.307. DUTIES OF SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. (a) A support enforcement agency of this state, on request, shall provide services to a petitioner in a proceeding under this chapter. (b) A support enforcement agency of this state that provides services to the petitioner shall: (1) take all steps necessary to enable an appropriate tribunal in this state or another state 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) not later than the second day, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after the date of receipt of a written notice in a record from an initiating, responding, or registering tribunal, send a copy of the notice to the petitioner; (5) not later than the second day, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after the date of receipt of a written 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) 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 ensure that: (1) the order to be registered is the controlling order; or (2) a request for a determination of which order is the controlling order is made in a tribunal having jurisdiction to make the determination, if two or more child support orders have been issued and a determination of the controlling order has not been made. (d) A support enforcement agency of this state that requests registration and enforcement of a support order, arrearages, or a judgment stated in a foreign currency 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. (e) 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 redirects payment of current support, arrearages, and interest if requested to do so by a support enforcement agency of another state under Section 159.319. (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. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, § 1, eff. April 20, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 607, § 11, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1247, § 17, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

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Last modified: August 10, 2007