Skip to Content
May 13, 2024 Clouds | 48°F
The 193rd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  1. General Laws
  2. Part II REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS
  3. Title III DOMESTIC RELATIONS
  4. Chapter 209D UNIFORM INTERSTATE FAMILY SUPPORT ACT
  5. Article 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS
  6. Section 4-401 Establishment of support order

Section 4-401

Section 4-401: Establishment of support order

Section 4–401. Establishment of support order.

(a) If a support order entitled to recognition under this chapter has not been issued, a responding tribunal of the commonwealth with personal jurisdiction over the parties may issue a support order if:

(1) the individual seeking the order resides outside the commonwealth; or

(2) the support enforcement agency seeking the order is located outside the commonwealth.

(b) The tribunal may issue a temporary child support order if the tribunal determines that such an order is appropriate and the individual ordered to pay is:

(1) a presumed father of the child;

(2) petitioning to have his paternity adjudicated;

(3) identified as the father of the child through genetic testing;

(4) an alleged father who has declined to submit to genetic testing;

(5) shown by clear and convincing evidence to be the father of the child;

(6) an acknowledged father as provided by chapter 209C;

(7) the mother of the child; or

(8) an individual who has been ordered to pay child support in a previous proceeding and the order has not been reversed or vacated.

(c) Upon finding, after notice and opportunity to be heard, that an obligor owes a duty of support, the tribunal shall issue a support order directed to the obligor and may issue other orders pursuant to section 3–305.