Editing Child support (section)

===Enforcement===
Regulations and laws on the enforcement of child-support orders vary by country and state. In some jurisdictions, such as Australia, enforcement is overseen by a national office. In others, such as [[Canada]], the responsibility to enforce child-support orders rests with individual provinces, with financial and logistical assistance from the federal government.<ref>[http://www.justice.gc.ca/en/ps/sup/enforcement/enforcement_overview.html#enforcement "Enforcement of support orders"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016235312/http://justice.gc.ca/en/ps/sup/enforcement/enforcement_overview.html |date=2007-10-16 }} Canada Department of Justice</ref> In the [[United States]], child-support enforcement is also handled largely at the state level, but non-compliant parents who meet certain criteria, such as traveling across state lines to circumvent orders or owing more than two years of support payments, may be subjected to federal prosecution under the Federal Deadbeat Punishment Act.<ref>[http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/ceos/child_support.htm Child support enforcement] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060111235506/http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/ceos/child_support.htm |date=2006-01-11 }} United States Department of Justice</ref>

One focus of Article 27 of the [[Declaration of the Rights of the Child]] is the establishment and strengthening of international treaties to further aid in child-support order enforcement across national and international boundaries.<ref>[http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm#art27] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611182141/http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm|date=2010-06-11}} Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 27</ref> Under these agreements, orders established in one country are considered valid and enforceable in another country, and may be pursued through local court processes. The goal of such conventions is to ensure that noncompliant parents will not be able to evade support payments by crossing an international border.

To this end, various international conventions regarding interjurisdictional enforcement of maintenance orders have been created, including the 1956 United Nations [[Convention on the Recovery Abroad of Maintenance]],<ref name="untreaty.un.org"/> the Hague Conference's 1973 Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Decisions relating to Maintenance Obligations<ref name="hcch.net"/> and the 1956 United Nations [[Convention on the Recovery Abroad of Maintenance]]<ref name="untreaty.un.org"/> and the 2007 [[Hague Maintenance Convention]].

More than 100 nations currently have reciprocal arrangements for child support orders. Examples of reciprocal agreements include the UK Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders (REMO)<ref name="ReferenceC"/> and those of Canada,<ref name="justice.gc.ca">[http://www.justice.gc.ca/en/ps/sup/enforcement/enforcement_overview.html#list Overview of the Canadian System of Support Enforcement] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016235312/http://justice.gc.ca/en/ps/sup/enforcement/enforcement_overview.html |date=2007-10-16 }} Canada Department of Justice</ref> [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]],<ref>[http://www.ird.govt.nz/aboutir/reports/soi/soi-2004-2005/part1/2005soi-strengtheningourcustomerfocus-4cont.html Statement of Intent - 2004 - Part 1] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080508024417/http://www.ird.govt.nz/aboutir/reports/soi/soi-2004-2005/part1/2005soi-strengtheningourcustomerfocus-4cont.html |date=2008-05-08 }} New Zealand Inland Revenue</ref> the United States<ref name="travel.state.gov"/> and the [[European Union]].<ref name="Maintenance claims across the EU"/>

Consequences of non-payment vary by jurisdiction, the length of time the parent has been noncompliant, and the amount owed. Typical penalties include wage garnishment and denial or suspension of drivers, hunting and professional licenses.<ref name="justice.gc.ca"/><ref>[http://www.utcourts.gov/resources/rules/ucja/14/05%20Lawyer%20Discipline/USB14-531.html Utah State Courts regulation on law licenses and noncompliance] USA</ref><ref>[http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Rules/Current/iac/650iac/65033/65033.pdf Iowa State Legislature Chapter 33: Child Support Noncompliance] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071127094156/http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Rules/Current/iac/650iac/65033/65033.pdf |date=2007-11-27 }} USA</ref> In the United States, noncompliant parents who are more than $2500 in arrears may be denied passports under the Passport Denial Program.<ref>[http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/fop/passport.htm FPLS: Passport Denial Program] United States Administration for Children and Families</ref> Australia, Austria, and Finland do not imprison persons for failure to pay child-support arrears.<ref>Skinner, Christine, and Jacqueline Davidson (2009). "Recent Trends in Child Maintenance Schemes in 14 Countries," International Journal of Law, Policy, and the Family 23, pp. 25-52.</ref> In the U.S., in contrast, non-payment of child support may be treated as a criminal offense or a civil offense, and [[Imprisonment of child support debtors in the United States|it can result in a prison or jail term]]. In New York, continuous failure to provide child support is an E felony punishable by up to 4 years in prison. In addition, child-support debtors are subject to fines and property seizure.<ref>[http://www.cffpp.org/publications/pdfs/crimstat.pdf Criminal statutes for non-payment of child support] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071127094157/http://www.cffpp.org/publications/pdfs/crimstat.pdf |date=2007-11-27 }} Scott Sussman and Corey Mather, Center for Family Policy and Practice</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Yukon Territory Maintenance Enforcement Program fact sheet, Canada|url=http://www.yukonmep.ca/pdf/mepguide04.pdf|work=yukonmep.ca|publisher=Yukon Department of Justice|access-date=22 March 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327065358/http://www.yukonmep.ca/pdf/mepguide04.pdf|archive-date=27 March 2014}}</ref><ref>[http://www.westerncape.gov.za/eng/directories/services/11575/17467 "Enforcing a Maintenance Order"] Western Cape governmental information service, South Africa</ref>

Since the duty to provide child support is separate from the civil requirement to obey a court order regarding visitation, it is exceptionally rare for a parent to be jailed for violating that part of the court order.<ref>{{cite web|last=James|first=A. Albert|title=Habeas Corpus – A Better Remedy in Visitation Denial Cases|url=https://mainelaw.maine.edu/academics/maine-law-review/pdf/vol41_2/vol41_me_l_rev_239.pdf|work=maine.edu|access-date=22 March 2014|author2=Gregory A. Brodek|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216082419/https://mainelaw.maine.edu/academics/maine-law-review/pdf/vol41_2/vol41_me_l_rev_239.pdf|archive-date=16 December 2013}}</ref>