Family Support
The prosecuting attorney is charged by law with the responsibility to establish court orders which provide for: (1) the payment of support by a non-custodial parent to the custodial parent, (2) the establishment of paternity and payment of support of a child born out of wedlock, (3) the repayment to the state for confinement expenses related to pregnancy and birth of a child, and (4) the establishment of support orders across state lines.
All referrals come to the prosecutor’s office from the Department of Human Services (DHS), formerly known as the Family Independence Agency (FIA). Since the DHS is often providing government assistance to families, that agency is interested in assuring that the non-custodial parent is helping to support the family and/or reimbursing the government, as required by Title IV-D of the federal Social Security Act.
A majority of the work on referrals, including investigation, pleadings preparation, and case preparation is done in the prosecutor’s office by the family support specialist, Christine Brooks. If you have questions regarding establishing paternity or child support, please call 231-348-1725 and ask for Chris.
The prosecutor’s office does not enforce court orders already established. If you are seeking enforcement of an existing order, please contact the Friend of the Court office in the county where the case was decided.
Please review the frequently asked questions regarding paternity, child support and other related areas in the following sections of the site: PATERNITY SUPPORT