CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM

     This office assists custodial parents in collecting current child support, and under some circumstances past due child support through the criminal courts. In cases where the parent obligated to pay support willfully fails to do so, the State's Attorney's Office may file criminal charges.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

ILLINOIS LAW PROVIDES THAT:

A person commits the offense of failure to support when he or she:

1. willing, without any lawful excuse, refuses to provide for the support or maintenance of his or her spouse, with the knowledge that the spouse is in need of such support or maintenance, or without lawful excuse, deserts or willfully refuses to provide for the support or maintenance of his or her child or children in need of support or maintenance and the person has the ability to provide the support; or

2. willfully fails to pay support obligation required under a court or administrative order for support, if the obligation has remained unpaid for a period longer than 6 months, or is arrears in an amount greater than $5,000, and the person has the ability to provide the support; or

3. leaves the State with the intent to evade a support obligation required under a court or administrative order for support, if the obligation, regardless of when it accrued, has remained unpaid for a period longer than 6 months, or is in arrears in an amount greater than $10,000; or

4. willfully fails to pay a support obligation required under a court or administrative order of support, if the obligation has remained unpaid for a period longer than one year, or is in arrears in an amount greater than $20,000, and the person has the ability to provide the support.

750 ILCS 16/15

IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE

     If you think that you may be eligible for Child Support Enforcement, please contact the State's Attorney's Office.  We will need to review any court orders regarding child support and will need to know:

• The number of supported children.

• The address where they reside and with whom.

• Their names and date of birth.

• The names and current address of the person obligated to support them.

    We will need to be provided with a copy of:

• Any and all court order(s) setting:

•    The amount of child support

•    The amount of any arrearage

• Any petition(s) and court order(s) seeking to enforce payments, such as  contempt proceedings.

• The name and address of any attorney who has been representing you.

• Any support payment record available at either the office of the Circuit Clerk or the State Disbursement Unit.

     CRIMINAL PROSECUTION

      Criminal prosecution is limited by several factors, primarily, the places of residence of the father, the mother and the children.  Where the supporting parent lives outside of Lee County prosecution is extremely limited.  The County Board has limited the budget of the State's Attorney's Office which directly results in a limited capacity to pursue deadbeat supporting parents.

PURSUIT OF CHILD SUPPORT

       The Attorney General of Illinois maintains regional offices throughout the State for the purposes of collecting child support and this is in conjunction with the Department of Human Services.

      You should contact either:

      Department of Human Services             or                         Office of the Attorney General

     200 Washington Street,                                                     200 S. Wyman Street, Suite 307B

      Lower Core Center,                                                         Rockford, IL  61101

     Oregon, IL  61061                                                            815-987-7981(Phone)

     815-732-2166                                                                  815-987-7948 (Fax)

last updated: 08/08/2011