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CHILD SUPPORT
COLLECTION

The Child Support Enforcement Unit of the State Attorney's Office will help you get child support. Call the Child Support Enforcement Unit at 305-530-2600. The office is located at 370 S.E. First Street, Miami.

GET A CHILD SUPPORT ORDER

The first step to collecting child support is to get the family court to order the non-custodial parent to pay child support. There are three different ways to get a child support order:

• Get a child support order on your own, typically as part of a divorce case.

• Go directly to the Child Support Enforcement Unit for help in getting a child support order.

• If you apply for cash assistance, Medicaid or food stamps, and you do not have a child support order, your case will automatically be referred to the Child Support Enforcement Unit so that the attorneys can get a child support court order for you. PAYMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT

Once you have a child support order, the other parent must pay the child support directly to the State Disbursement Unit. The State Disbursement Unit will then send payment to you.

FAILURE TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT

If the other parent is not paying child support as ordered by the Court, you may contact the Child Support Enforcement Unit for help getting child support fully paid on time.

FAILURE OF THE STATE TO SEND YOU CHILD SUPPORT

Sometimes the other parent pays child support, but the State Disbursement Unit does not send it to you or it sends it to you late. Go to the Clerk's office of the Child Support Enforcement Unit located at 370 S.E. First Street, Second Floor, Miami and get a copy of the print out showing exactly when and how much child support the other parent paid, how much was sent to you, and how much was kept by the State. Sometimes this will help you better understand the exact problem you are having receiving child support. You can then contact the Child Support Enforcement Unit for help getting the child support sent to you on time.

CHILD SUPPORT DEFENSE

If you need to defend against a child support collection case, or you have had a change in circumstances and you need to have the Court change your child support order, contact:

Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service Low Fee Attorney
1-800-342-8011
Ask the Receptionist for Flyer #1 for more information

Self-Help Project Advice
73 West Flagler Street, Room 14-2
(305) 349-7800