Maine Revised Statutes
Subchapter 3: CIVIL PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
19-A §3005. Duties and powers of responding tribunal

§3005. Duties and powers of responding tribunal
1. Duties of responding tribunal. Upon receipt of a petition or comparable pleading from the state information agency, a responding tribunal shall cause the petition or pleading to be filed and notify the petitioner by first class mail where and when it was filed.
[PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
2. Powers of responding tribunal. A responding tribunal of this State, to the extent not prohibited by other law, may:
A. Establish or enforce a support order, modify a child support order, determine the controlling child support order or render a judgment to determine parentage of a child; [PL 2009, c. 95, §37 (AMD); PL 2009, c. 95, §87 (AFF).]
B. Order an obligor to comply with a support order, specifying the amount and the manner of compliance; [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
C. Order income withholding; [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
D. Determine the amount of any arrearages and specify a method of payment; [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
E. Enforce orders by civil or criminal contempt, or both; [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
F. Set aside property for satisfaction of the support order; [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
G. Place liens and order execution on the obligor's property; [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
H. Order an obligor to keep the tribunal informed of the obligor's current residential address, e-mail address, telephone number, employer, address of employment and telephone number at the place of employment; [PL 2009, c. 95, §38 (AMD); PL 2009, c. 95, §87 (AFF).]
I. Issue a capias for an obligor who has failed after proper notice to appear at a hearing ordered by the tribunal and enter the capias in any local and state computer systems for criminal warrants; [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
J. Order the obligor to seek appropriate employment by specified methods; [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
K. Award reasonable attorney's fees and other fees and costs; or [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
L. Grant any other available remedy. [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
[PL 2009, c. 95, §§ 37, 38 (AMD); PL 2009, c. 95, §87 (AFF).]
3. Calculations included. A responding tribunal of this State shall include in a support order issued under this chapter, or in the documents accompanying the order, the calculations on which the support order is based.
[PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
4. Support not conditional on visitation. A responding tribunal of this State may not condition the payment of a support order issued under this chapter upon compliance by a party with provisions for visitation.
[PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
5. Copies of order. If a responding tribunal of this State issues an order under this chapter, the tribunal shall send a copy of the order by first class mail to the petitioner and the respondent and to the initiating tribunal, if any.
[PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
6. Convert foreign currency amount to dollar amount. If requested to enforce a support order, arrears or judgment or modify a support order stated in a foreign currency, a responding tribunal of this State 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.
[PL 2003, c. 436, §16 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1995, c. 694, §B2 (NEW). PL 1995, c. 694, §E2 (AFF). PL 2003, c. 436, §§15,16 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 95, §§37, 38 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 95, §87 (AFF).