Session Laws

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 119A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 13. (a) Any payment or installment of support under any child support order issued by any court of this commonwealth or by a court or agency of competent jurisdiction of any other state shall be on or after the date it is due, a judgment by operation of law, with the full force, effect, and attributes of a judgment of this commonwealth including the ability to be enforced; shall be entitled as a judgment to full faith and credit; and shall not be subject to retroactive modification except with respect to any period during which there is pending a complaint for modification, but only from the date that notice of such complaint has been given, either directly or through the appropriate agent, to the obligee or, where the obligee is the plaintiff, to the obligor.

(b) The provisions of this section shall apply to any action for modification or enforcement of any child support order brought pursuant to or adjudicated under chapter one hundred and nineteen, two hundred and seven, two hundred and eight, two hundred and nine, two hundred and nine A, two hundred and nine C, two hundred and fifteen, two hundred and seventy-three, two hundred and seventy-three A or any other chapter involving the support and maintenance of minor children.

SECTION 2. Section 34B of chapter 215 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 1986 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 5 and 6, the words "and such judge may modify or terminate such judgment without petition" and inserting in place thereof the words:- to determine that such judgment was issued by a court of competent jurisdiction and was not obtained by fraud.