The Child Support department is extremely busy each and every day processing and mailing payments to the recipients of child support. Below is some general information about the clerk's role in processing child support payments. Also included is important information for those who receive and pay child support.

 

	The Child Support department is comprised of accounting clerks who accept and distribute payments.
	Payments can only be accepted if a support order (court order directing someone to pay child support) has been approved and signed by a judge.
	The clerk's only work with support orders that direct payments made for child support. These records reflect both the date and the amount of the payment.

Due to the volume of cases the office deals with, a few guidelines should be followed to insure proper credit of court-ordered payments:

	Always enclose the name of the person responsible for making the payment and the case number.
	Payment may be made in the form of cash, cashier's check, certified check, or money order. Personal checks will also be accepted if the payor's current address is shown on the payment. Personal checks will not be accepted after ONE instance of being returned from the bank unpaid.
	Postdated checks will not be accepted.
	All checks or money orders should be made payable to: Lee County Circuit Clerk.
	Mail all payments to: Clerk of the Circuit Court, Attention: Child Support, P.O. Box 325, Dixon, IL. 61021.
	Payments may also be made in person at: Circuit Clerk's Office, 309 S. Galena, Ave., Dixon, IL. 61021.
	An annual fee of $36.00 is assessed in January of each year. This fee is in addition and separate from amounts to be paid as child support. This money is collected to offset our expenses of purchasing and printing checks, computer equipment and various expenses related to disbursing the checks. Payment of this fee should be sent as a separate money order or bank draft payable to the Clerk of the Circuit Court. This payment should be designated as "Administrative Fee" and should include the case number to assure proper accounting credit.

The child support clerk's are responsible for keeping a record of fall payments. These records include the date and the amount of the payment.

Payment ledgers can be obtained from the Clerk's office for any time period specified. Requests for ledgers must be made one business day in advance. The charge for printing a ledger is $2.00.

Child support can only be terminated by a court order. If someone wishes to have child support terminated they must schedule a court date and request that the judge enter an order directing child support payments to cease.

Increases and decreases in child support can only be done through a court order. If someone is seeking to increase or decrease the amount of child support being paid, they must obtain a court date and request that the judge adjust the amount of child support being paid.

last updated: 2/06/2007