The Northampton County Domestic Relations, located at:  126 South Union Street, Easton, PA  18042 participates in the federal Title IV-D Program of the Social Security Act.  As a participant of the program, the county is reimbursed for 66% of all allowable DRS administrative costs.  In Pennsylvania, this program is under the supervision of the Department of Public Welfare and is known as the Pennsylvania Child Support Enforcement Program. 

The Domestic Relations Section is responsible for the establishment of Support Orders on behalf of children and spouses, establishment of paternity, location of absent obligors, and the enforcement of monetary Orders for Support which includes medical support.  The Domestic Relations Section also establishes and enforces Orders for Alimony Pendente Lite and enforces collection of alimony payments.

The Director of the Northampton County Domestic Relations Section is Ruth Vega-Velez.  There are a total of 62 full time employees, which include the Director, Deputy Director, 5 supervisors, and 4 part-time employees.

Mission
The Domestic Relations Section is committed to assuring that children of separated or divorced parents or in single parent homes are provided the best possible standard of living. The efforts of the Section limit the need for family welfare benefits and allows for recoupment of welfare dollars paid on behalf of dependents. As a result of the Domestic Relation Section’s efforts, tax dollars are saved and families are provided the assistance needed.

Collections
A total of $42,303,708 in support payments was collected in 2008.  Of this amount, the Department of Public Welfare received $1,620,109, which represented reimbursement payments on behalf of welfare recipients, with the remaining amount being paid directly to plaintiffs, which includes Children & Youth and Juvenile Court.  Total collections in 2008 increased by 2% from the prior year.

Funding/Budgeting
The Domestic Relations received operational revenues of $4,395,272 in 2008.  Of this amount, $2,438,789 represented reimbursement funds at the 66% rate for allowable administrative costs and $441,527 were performance incentives received from the state as a result of its participation in the Title IV-D program.  Another $17,174 was received from a State grant.

A total of $107,593 was collected in fees and costs, and $316 was received in miscellaneous income.  The remaining $1,389,873 needed to meet the 2008 operating costs was provided by the County.

In 2008, the Domestic Relations Section paid the County the sum of $203,800 for Central Services costs and another $337,752 was paid to the County in bond interest and principal.  The Section collected $590,731 on behalf of children declared dependent under the juvenile statutes, which were forwarded to Children & Youth and Families Division and Juvenile Court as partial reimbursement for the cost of care.  Total revenues provided to the County in the amount of $1,131,683 offset the total sum the County allocated to the Domestic Relations Section, leading to a net expense to the County of $258,190.

The Support Process
A support action is commenced by the filing of a complaint in the Intake Section of the Domestic Relations Section, located at 126 South Union Street, Easton. An Intake Technician interviews the petitioning party to obtain all the necessary information to process the initial complaint or the petition for modification/special relief. Filings are taken on a walk-in basis, with the exception of out-of-state petitions which require an appointment due to the amount of time needed to process the petitions. A total of 4,273 complaints or modification petitions were filed in 2007, which does not include registrations of existing Orders to other states for enforcement.

After the filing of a complaint/petition cases are then scheduled for conference before Conference Officers who conduct quasi-judicial functions in recommending interim orders for support. A total of 3,669 conferences were scheduled in 2007. Necessary financial information is gathered at the time of the conference in order to determine parties’ incomes, which is then used to enter a recommended Order in accordance with the Uniform Support Guidelines as promulgated by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Conference Officers are also guided by state/case law, and federal regulations. Conferences are usually scheduled within 40 days from date of filing. Parties have 20 days to request a hearing before a Domestic Relations Judge if not satisfied with the recommended Order. If a request is not made within the 20 days, the recommended Order becomes final. In 2007, 617 cases were heard in De Novo Court.

Conference Officers must also obtain social and other pertinent information relative to the parties. Health insurance coverage must be pursued and Court Ordered if not available at time of conference. In accordance with State law and federal mandates, Orders must also be reviewed every three years. Northampton County has 16 Conference Officers.

Locate
The Domestic Relations Section also has a Locate Unit which is responsible for the location of non-custodial parents when their whereabouts are unknown. This unit is also responsible for following up on information received by the Commonwealth as a result of interfaces with government agencies such as the Social Security Administration, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Public Welfare, and the Department of Labor and Industry among others, which is then forwarded to the counties.

Enforcement of Support Orders
Conference Officers are responsible for the enforcement of Support Orders. The statutorily court ordered income attachments from paychecks at the employer level remains the most effective tool for enforcement of Support Orders. Approximately 74% of collections are from income attachments.

The IRS Intercept Program and State Intercept Program are also very effective enforcement tools which allow for cases that meet the criteria to be submitted for intercept when refunds are due. These are automated processes, wherein welfare cases that have arrears of over $150.00 and are three months delinquent and non-welfare cases that have arrears of over $500.00 and are one month delinquent are submitted for intercept. A total of $1,012,114 was received in the year 2007 from the IRS Intercept Program and another $85,200 was received as a result of the State Intercept Program.

The Financial Institution Data Match Program known as FIDM generated $109,202. This program provides the DRS through an interface at the state level with information from banking institutions regarding an obligor’s financial assets. The DRS may then by Court Order, freeze and seize an obligor’s assets. The program allows obligees who are owed arrears, to more expeditiously collect the arrears they may be due. Information received from various sources, related to personal injury or worker’s compensation claims, as well as from the Child Support Lien Network (CSLN) which is a data match process with the state and insurance companies generated another $32,239.

When other means fail to bring obligors into compliance, they are listed for Non-Compliance Court. If the Court finds that the delinquency in payments is willful, the obligor may be sentenced to a period of incarceration not to exceed six months, fined and/or placed on probation. If incarcerated, an obligor must be given the opportunity to purge self of the contempt, usually be requiring payment of a lump sum or participation in the prison’s work release program for a determined period.

In 2007, 3,639 obligors were listed for Court due to non-compliance of Court Orders. Obligors are first given the opportunity to meet with their Conference Officer in an attempt to reach an agreement. If unable to reach an agreement satisfactory to all parties, they are required to appear before a Judge. Of the 3,639 listed, 492 required an appearance before a Judge. Of the 492 who appeared before the Judge, 36 were incarcerated. Bench warrants were issued for 751 obligors or 21% of those listed due to non-appearance. A total of $1,050,357 was collected as a result of the non-compliance hearings process.

A total of 17, or 41% of the 36 defendants who were incarcerated, purged by making lump sum payments totaling $29,377. The remainder purged by participating in the work release program or serving the imposed sentence.

Another 314 obligors were incarcerated in 2007 as a result of bench warrants executed. Of the 314, a total of 131 or 39% purged of the contempt by making lump sum payments which totaled $200,834.

The County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for executing all DRS warrants. The Domestic Relations Section Bench Warrant Unit processed and cleared 863 bench warrants. As of the end of December, 2007, 802 bench warrants remained outstanding, a 26% decrease from a year prior.

The Northampton County Domestic Relations Section has an Interstate Unit to work cases where another state is involved. The percent of Interstate cases for Northampton County is approximately 22%.

Credit bureau reporting, driver’s license suspension, state lottery winnings and passport denial are other enforcement tools and are other remedies used to enforce support obligations.

Other Statistics for 2007

• As of the end of 2007, the Domestic Relations Section had 10,387active support cases.
• A total of 2,501 cased were opened.
• A total of 2,823 cases were closed.
• Monthly mail and faxes averaged 4,900.
• Written communications with other Courts for Interstate cases totaled 13,964.
• In collections per case, Northampton ranked 10th in the state.

Court Divisions & Operations