(a) A child support obligee is entitled to recover from the obligor reasonable attorney fees and other collection costs incurred to enforce a child support judgment, as provided in this section. In order to recover collection costs under this section, the arrearages must be at least $500 and must be at least 90 days past due. In addition, the arrearages must be a docketed judgment under sections 548.09 and 548.091. If the obligor pays in full the judgment rendered under section 548.091 within 20 days of receipt of notice of entry of judgment, the obligee is not entitled to recover attorney fees or collection costs under this section.
(b) Written notice must be provided by any obligee contracting with an attorney or collection entity to enforce a child support judgment to the public authority responsible for child support enforcement, if the public authority is a party or provides services to a party, within five days of signing a contract for services and within five days of receipting any payments received on a child support judgment. Attorney fees and collection costs obtained under this section are considered child support and entitled to the applicable remedies for collection and enforcement of child support.
(c) The obligee shall serve notice of the obligee's intent to recover attorney fees and collections costs by certified or registered mail on the obligor at the obligor's last known address. The notice must include an itemization of the attorney fees and collection costs being sought by the obligee and inform the obligor that the fees and costs will become an additional judgment for child support unless the obligor requests a hearing on the reasonableness of the fees and costs or to contest the child support judgment on grounds limited to mistake of fact within 20 days of mailing of the notice.
(d) If the obligor requests a hearing, the only issues to be determined by the court are whether the attorney fees or collection costs were reasonably incurred by the obligee for the enforcement of a child support judgment against the obligor or the validity of the child support judgment on grounds limited to mistake of fact. The fees and costs may not exceed 30 percent of the arrearages. The court may modify the amount of attorney fees and costs as appropriate and shall enter judgment accordingly.
(e) If the obligor fails to request a hearing within 20 days of mailing of the notice under paragraph (a), the amount of the attorney fees or collection costs requested by the obligee in the notice automatically becomes an additional judgment for child support.
(f) The commissioner of human services shall prepare and make available to the court and the parties forms for use in providing for notice and requesting a hearing under this section.
(8593) RL s 3582; 1955 c 687 s 1; 1974 c 107 s 11; 1978 c 772 s 30; 1986 c 444; 1990 c 574 s 10; 1993 c 340 s 20; 1994 c 630 art 11 s 5; 1997 c 187 art 2 s 10; 2005 c 164 s 29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28
Structure Minnesota Statutes
Chapters 517 - 519A — Domestic Relations
Section 518A.26 — Definitions.
Section 518A.27 — Maintenance Or Support Money.
Section 518A.28 — Providing Income Information.
Section 518A.29 — Calculation Of Gross Income.
Section 518A.30 — Income From Self-employment Or Operation Of A Business.
Section 518A.31 — Social Security Or Veterans' Benefit Payments Received On Behalf Of The Child.
Section 518A.32 — Potential Income.
Section 518A.33 — Deduction From Income For Nonjoint Children.
Section 518A.34 — Computation Of Child Support Obligations.
Section 518A.35 — Guideline Used In Child Support Determinations.
Section 518A.36 — Parenting Expense Adjustment.
Section 518A.37 — Written Findings.
Section 518A.38 — Minor Children; Support.
Section 518A.39 — Modification Of Orders Or Decrees.
Section 518A.40 — Child Care Support.
Section 518A.41 — Medical Support.
Section 518A.42 — Ability To Pay; Self-support Adjustment.
Section 518A.43 — Deviations From Child Support Guidelines.
Section 518A.44 — Notice To Public Authority.
Section 518A.45 — Failure Of Notice.
Section 518A.47 — Provision Of Legal Services By The Public Authority.
Section 518A.48 — Sufficiency Of Notice.
Section 518A.49 — Assignment Of Rights; Judgment.
Section 518A.50 — Payment To Public Agency.
Section 518A.51 — Fees For Iv-d Services.
Section 518A.52 — Overpayments.
Section 518A.53 — Income Withholding.
Section 518A.54 — Child Support Payment Center; Definitions.
Section 518A.55 — Central Collections Unit.
Section 518A.56 — Mandatory Payment Of Obligations To Central Collections Unit.
Section 518A.57 — Notice Of Order.
Section 518A.58 — Escrow Account; Child Support; Maintenance Obligation.
Section 518A.59 — Notice Of Interest On Late Child Support.
Section 518A.60 — Collection; Arrears Only.
Section 518A.61 — Collection; Revenue Recapture.
Section 518A.62 — Child Support Debt And Arrearage Management.
Section 518A.64 — Administrative Seek Employment Orders.
Section 518A.65 — Driver's License Suspension.
Section 518A.66 — Occupational License Suspension.
Section 518A.67 — Motor Vehicle Lien.
Section 518A.68 — Recreational License Suspension.
Section 518A.685 — Consumer Reporting Agency; Reporting Arrears.
Section 518A.69 — Payment Agreements.
Section 518A.70 — Data On Suspensions For Support Arrears.
Section 518A.71 — Security; Sequestration; Contempt.
Section 518A.72 — Contempt Proceedings For Nonpayment Of Support.
Section 518A.73 — Employer Contempt.
Section 518A.735 — Enforcement Of Child Support.
Section 518A.74 — Publication Of Names Of Delinquent Child Support Obligors.
Section 518A.75 — Cost-of-living Adjustments In Maintenance Or Child Support Order.
Section 518A.76 — Case Reviewer.