(a) A support enforcement agency of this state, upon request, shall provide services to a petitioner in a proceeding under this chapter.
(b) A support enforcement agency of this state that is providing services to the petitioner shall:
(1) take all steps necessary to enable an appropriate tribunal of this state, another state, or a foreign country 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) within seven days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after receipt of notice in a record from an initiating, responding, or registering tribunal, send a copy of the notice to the petitioner;
(5) within seven days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after receipt of 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:
(1) to ensure that the order to be registered is the controlling order; or
(2) if two or more child-support orders exist and the identity of the controlling order has not been determined, to ensure that a request for such a determination is made in a tribunal having jurisdiction to do so.
(d) A support enforcement agency of this state that requests registration and enforcement of a support order, arrears, or judgment stated in a foreign currency shall convert the amounts stated in the foreign currency into the equivalent amounts in dollars under the applicable official or market exchange rate as publicly reported.
(e) A support enforcement agency of this state shall request a tribunal of this state to issue a child-support order and an income-withholding order that redirects payment of current support, arrears, and interest if requested to do so by a support enforcement agency of another state pursuant to Section 30-3D-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.
Structure Code of Alabama
Title 30 - Marital and Domestic Relations.
Chapter 3D - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act.
Article 3 - Civil Provisions of General Application.
Section 30-3D-301 - Proceedings Under Chapter.
Section 30-3D-302 - Proceeding by Minor Parent.
Section 30-3D-303 - Application of Law of State.
Section 30-3D-304 - Duties of Initiating Tribunal.
Section 30-3D-305 - Duties and Powers of Responding Tribunal.
Section 30-3D-306 - Inappropriate Tribunal.
Section 30-3D-307 - Duties of Support Enforcement Agency.
Section 30-3D-308 - Duty of Attorney General.
Section 30-3D-309 - Private Counsel.
Section 30-3D-310 - Duties of the Department of Human Resources.
Section 30-3D-311 - Pleadings and Accompanying Documents.
Section 30-3D-312 - Nondisclosure of Information in Exceptional Circumstances.
Section 30-3D-313 - Costs and Fees.
Section 30-3D-314 - Limited Immunity of Petitioner.
Section 30-3D-315 - Nonparentage as Defense.
Section 30-3D-316 - Special Rules of Evidence and Procedure.
Section 30-3D-317 - Communications Between Tribunals.