Confirmation of a registered support order, whether by operation of law or after notice and hearing, precludes further contest of the order with respect to any matter that could have been asserted at the time of registration.
Source: L. 93: Entire article R&RE, p. 1599, § 1, effective January 1, 1995. L. 2015: Entire part amended, (HB 15-1198), ch. 173, p. 558, § 31, effective July 1.
COMMENT
If, after notice, the nonregistering party fails to contest, the registered support order is confirmed by operation of law and no further action by a responding tribunal is necessary. Although the statute is not explicit on the subject, it seems likely in the absence of a contest both the registering and nonregistering party would be estopped from subsequently collaterally attacking the confirmed order, whether on the basis that "the wrong order was registered" or otherwise.
If contested, a registered support order must be confirmed by the responding tribunal if, after a hearing, the defenses authorized in Section 607 are rejected. Thus, either scenario precludes the nonregistering party from raising any issue that could have been asserted in a hearing. Confirmation of a support order, whether by action or as the result of inaction, validates both the terms of the order and the asserted arrearages.
Related to Convention: art. 22. Grounds for refusing recognition and enforcement; art. 26. Procedure on an application for recognition.
SUBPART C
REGISTRATION AND MODIFICATION OF CHILD SUPPORT ORDER OF ANOTHER STATE
INTRODUCTORY COMMENT
Authority to modify a child-support order of another state depends on the interaction of these sections with the continuing, exclusive jurisdiction of the issuing tribunal. See Sections 205 through 206. This also might involve the determination of the controlling order in a situation involving multiple child-support orders. These concepts are not present in the international context. See Sections 615, 616, and 711. Thus, modification of a support order from a foreign country other than a Convention country is not governed by Sections 609-614, but is subject to Sections 615-616, infra.
Sections 609 through 614 apply only to modification of an interstate child-support order. Most of the act applies to "a support order," which includes both child-support and spousal support. Both categories are generally subject to interstate enforcement under UIFSA. But, as a practical matter, the actual process of that enforcement is quite different. Child support is enforced almost exclusively by governmentally sponsored Title IV-D agencies, which also may enforce spousal support if it is included in the same order. In some states, local funds are appropriated for enforcement of spousal support as well. Only occasionally will a private attorney be involved in a child-support case, but spousal support not issued in conjunction with a child-support order generally requires representation pro se or by private counsel. More importantly, a tribunal of a responding state may enforce spousal support, but it does not have authority to modify a spousal-support order of another state or foreign country unless the law of that jurisdiction does not assert continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over its order. See Section 211.