EXPEDITED CHILD SUPPORT

An Overview of the Commonwealth Countries'
and United States' Procedures for
Establishing and Modifying Child Support

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• PART 1: THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHILD SUPPORT SCHEMES OF THE COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES
  • INTRODUCTION
  • AUSTRALIA
    • A. History of the Existing Scheme
    • B. The Child Support Scheme
      • The Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988
      • The Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989
      • The Process
      • The Departure Scheme
      • Varying a Child Support Order
    • C. Evaluation of the Australian Scheme
    • D. Development of the Australian Scheme
      • General Administrative Reform
      • Reform to Bring Together Child Support and Other Family Law Issues
  • NEW ZEALAND
    • A. History of the Existing Scheme
    • B. The Child Support Scheme
      • General
      • The Formula
      • The Departure Scheme
      • Varying a Child Support Order
    • C. Proposals for Reform and Evaluation of the New Zealand Child Support Scheme
  • THE UNITED KINGDOM
    • A. History of the Existing Scheme
    • B. The Child Support Scheme
      • The Child Support Act 1991
      • The Formula
      • The Administrative Review Process
      • Varying the Child Support Order
    • C. Evaluation of the United Kingdom Scheme
    • D. Proposed Reform of the Scheme
• PART 2: THE UNITED STATES
  • INTRODUCTION
  • ADMINISTRATIVE SCHEMES
    • The Basic American Administrative Framework
    • A. Alaska
      • General
      • The Administrative Process
      • The Role of the Court
    • B. Maine
      • General
      • Modification
    • C. Montana
      • General
      • The Modification Process - The Arbitration Master
    • D. Oregon
      • General
      • The Administrative Process
    • E. Washington State
      • General
      • The Administrative Process
      • Modification
  • VARIATIONS ON THE BASIC ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS
    • A. Colorado
    • B. Texas
  • COURT-BASED PROCESSES
    • A. Illustrative Examples - Illinois, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania
      • Title of Decision-maker and Qualifications for the Position
      • Jurisdiction of the Decision-maker and Nature of the Decision
      • Format of the Hearing
    • B. California
      • Criticisms of the Californian Process
      • Reform Initiatives in California
    • C. Connecticut
      • The Magistrate System
      • The Court Process in the Case of Divorce
    • D. Michigan
• PART 3: GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
  • A. The Canadian Context
  • B. Influencing Factors and Child Support Administration
  • C. The Use of Mediation
  • D. Additional Considerations
    • Clerical Functions
    • Establishment vs. Modification
    • Access
• CONCLUSION
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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