New Hampshire § 546-B-18 - Section 546-B:18 Duties of Support Enforcement Agency.

§ 546-B-18. Section 546-B:18 Duties of Support Enforcement Agency.

I. In a proceeding under this chapter, a support enforcement agency of this state, upon request: (a) Shall provide services to a petitioner residing in a state; (b) Shall provide services to a petitioner requesting services through a central authority of a foreign country as described in RSA 546-B:1, V(a) or (d); and (c) May provide services to a petitioner who is an individual not residing in a state. II. A support enforcement agency of this state that is providing services to the petitioner shall: (a) Take all steps necessary to enable an appropriate tribunal of this state, another state, or a foreign country to obtain jurisdiction over the respondent; (b) Request an appropriate tribunal to set a date, time, and place for a hearing; (c) Make a reasonable effort to obtain all relevant information, including information as to income and property of the parties; (d) Within 10 days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after receipt of notice in a record from an initiating, responding, or registering tribunal, send a copy of the notice to the petitioner; (e) Within 10 days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after receipt of communication in a record from the respondent or the respondent's attorney, send a copy of the communication to the petitioner; and (f) Notify the petitioner if jurisdiction over the respondent cannot be obtained. III. A support enforcement agency of this state that requests registration of a child support order in this state for enforcement or for modification shall make reasonable efforts: (a) To ensure that the order to be registered is the controlling order; or (b) If 2 or more child support orders exist and the identity of the controlling order has not been determined, to ensure that a request for such a determination is made in a tribunal having jurisdiction to do so. IV. A support enforcement agency of this state that requests registration and enforcement of a support order, arrears, or judgment stated in a foreign currency shall convert the amounts stated in the foreign currency into the amounts in dollars under the applicable official or market exchange rate as publicly reported. V. A support enforcement agency of this state shall issue or request a tribunal of this state to issue a child support order and an income withholding order that redirect payment of current support, arrears, and interest if requested to do so by a support enforcement agency of another state pursuant to RSA 546-B:30. VI. This chapter does not create or negate a relationship of attorney and client or other fiduciary relationship between a support enforcement agency or the attorney for the agency and the individual being assisted by the agency.