What is the difference between an administrative and court order of child support?

An administrative order of child support and a court order of child support are two different types of child support orders in Pennsylvania. An administrative order of child support occurs when the Department of Human Services of Pennsylvania, the agency responsible for helping families with child support, helps both parties to the child support proceeding reach an agreement to set the amount of child support payments. This agreement is then formalized by an Order of Child Support Determination issued by the Department of Human Services. This type of order is simpler and more straightforward than a court order. A court order of child support occurs when the parties to a child support proceeding cannot reach an agreement by themselves or with the help of the Department of Human Services, and the case is brought to a family court. The family court judge will then have to make a determination regarding the amount of the child support payments and issue a court order of child support accordingly. This type of order is more formal and generally more binding. The main difference between an administrative and court order of child support is that the court order is more binding and difficult to modify than the administrative order. Additionally, a court order of child support is enforceable through a variety of methods, including wage garnishment and tax refunds, whereas an administrative order of child support only enables enforcement through contempt of court.

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What is the difference between an administrative and court order of child support?

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