Child Support

The Washington County District Attorney's Office, Child Support Division, assists with the establishment and collection of child support orders.

Our services are provided on behalf of the State of Oregon and we represent the interests of the State of Oregon. Applications for Child Support Services are made through the Oregon Department of Justice, Division of Child Support.

We cannot give you legal advice or represent you. For legal advice and representation, please contact a private attorney. If an attorney represents you in any matter, we must have a written release from your attorney before we can communicate directly with you. Your attorney may mail or fax the release to our office.

Child Support Services

We offer the following services:

Establish Paternity

This means we can help establish the legal father of a child. Sometimes the alleged parent admits paternity right away. If either the mother or the alleged father denies a certain man is the father, genetic parentage tests can be ordered. Often the alleged parent admits paternity when the parentage tests show he could be the father. Occasionally the case must be settled in court. We can also assist a man who wants to be declared the legal father of the child but needs help establishing paternity.

Additional information is available through the Oregon Child Support Program.

Establish a Child Support or Medical Support Order

If there is no order for payment of child support and medical insurance, we will try to obtain one. Using information we obtain along with what you provide, we use a formula called the child support guidelines to determine the child support amount. We then notify both the custodial and noncustodial parent. If the noncustodial parent ignores the notice (defaults), we will establish an order to pay the amount we asked for in the notice. If either parent responds to the notice but doesn't agree with the amount, a hearing will be held. The child support amount will be determined at the hearing.

Modify a Child Support Order

You may ask for a review of the child support and/or medical child support terms of your support order. The review will begin only if:

• It has been at least 36 months since the date the support order was entered, reviewed or last modified; or
• You can show proof there has been a substantial change of circumstances. This could mean a change in custody, the needs of the child(ren), or the number of children covered by the support order. It could also mean a significant change in a parent’s income, or a change in medical child support.

Collect and Account for Child Support

There are many tools available to the Child Support Program to enforce child support and medical insurance. These include sending monthly billing statements to the noncustodial parent showing the current amount due and any past due amounts, income withholding, collecting federal and state tax refunds to pay past due support, placing liens on property, garnishing other assets, license suspensions, credit reporting and court proceedings.

Child Support Resources

Oregon Department of Justice, Division of Child Support:

• Home Page
• Application for Services
• Oregon Paternity Services
• Oregon Child Support Calculator
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Oregon Payment Information

Oregon Payment Information Telephone: 800-850-0228

Washington County Family Law Resources

Oregon Judicial Department Home Page

Oregon State Bar Information

Legal Aid Services

Contact the Child Support Division

• Telephone: 503-846-8759
• Fax: 503-846-2990
• Email: [email protected]

Please note: We are unable to assure the privacy and confidentiality of Internet communications, therefore, we respond by letter or telephone to case specific questions.