Chapter 221B

Section 1. The provisions of this chapter are enacted to expedite the hearing of child support cases in compliance with Section 3 of Public Law 98–378 (Section 466 of Title IV–D of the Social Security Act) and shall take effect upon receipt of notice by the IV–D agency of the dis…

Section 10. After review of the hearing officer's decision in accordance with section seven or reconsideration under section eight, a party may claim an appeal to the appeals court from an order, decision, or judgment of the court. Such appeal must be claimed within thirty days o…

Section 2. A committee of child support hearing officers shall certify as child support hearing officers members of the bar of the commonwealth who shall have practiced family law for a minimum period prescribed by the committee. Those certified shall participate in a training pr…

Section 3. The committee on child support hearing officers shall be comprised of the chief justice of the trial court, the administrative justices of the probate and family court department, the district court department, and the Boston municipal court department, or their design…

Section 4. There are hereby established within the superior court department, the probate and family court department, district court department, and Boston municipal court department of the trial court procedures to expedite the hearing of all child support cases which shall inc…

Section 5. The child support cases heard by the child support hearing officers shall be governed by rules promulgated by the Supreme Judicial Court. Such rules shall specify that the parties shall receive adequate notice and opportunity to be heard and present relevant evidence i…

Section 6. Without the approval of any justice of any court, a child support hearing officer shall have the power to issue subpoenas for the appearance of witnesses; to put witnesses under oath; to call parties to proceedings and to examine parties and witnesses; to require parti…

Section 7. A hearing officer shall have the power to make the following orders, notwithstanding the default of the party chargeable with support or his failure to appear personally, which shall be subject to review and approval by a justice of the court division in which he is si…

Section 7A. Each order or judgment of a hearing officer described in section six shall be presented to a justice of the division in which he is sitting within twenty-four hours for review and approval. The justice shall examine the record and sign each order or judgment unless he…

Section 8. Within three business days of the hearing officer's decision, any party may seek reconsideration of that decision to a justice of the division in which the decision was rendered. In such cases, it shall be the burden of the party seeking reconsideration to show cause t…

Section 9. Orders or judgments of a hearing officer shall be effective immediately unless stayed by a justice. Orders or judgments of a hearing officer shall not be stayed except by a justice of the division in which it was rendered, and in the event of such a stay the justice sh…