Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes > Title 51 > Chapter 13-B - Louisiana Child Support Collection Protection Act

• Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
• arrearages: means amounts of past due and unpaid monthly support obligations established by a court order issued by any court of this state or another state, including any judgment or order issued in accordance with an administrative procedure established by state law that affords substantial due process and is subject to judicial review, or any other judgment created by operation of any state law. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:1442
• Child support: means any amount required to be paid pursuant to a court order issued by any court of this state or another state, including any judgment or order issued in accordance with an administrative procedure established by state law that affords substantial due process and is subject to judicial review. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:1442
• child support order: means any judgment or order for the support of dependent children issued by any court of this state or another state, including any judgment or order issued in accordance with an administrative procedure established by state law that affords substantial due process and is subject to judicial review. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:1442
• Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
• collection agency: means an individual or nongovernmental entity that solicits and contracts directly with obligees to provide child support collection services for compensation. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:1442
• Contract: means a contract or agreement, as described in La. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:1442
• Department: means the Department of Children and Family Services, office of children and family services, child support enforcement section. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:1442
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is a set of United States statutes added as Title VIII of the Consumer Credit Protection Act. Its purpose is to ensure ethical practices in the collection of consumer debts and to provide consumers with an avenue for disputing and obtaining validation of debt information in order to ensure the information's accuracy. It is often used in conjunction with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• FITAP: means Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:1442
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Obligee: means an individual who is owed child support under a child support order and who has entered or may enter into a contract with a collection agency. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:1442
• Obligor: means a resident of this state required to pay child support in accordance with an order of support issued by a court or other tribunal. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:1442
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
• substantial: means that at least fifty percent of the attorney's business, either in terms of remuneration or time spent, is comprised of the activity of seeking to collect or enforce child support obligations. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:1442
• support enforcement services: means :

  (a)  Any action taken by the department, upon receipt of an application or referral for services or a request made under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, in accordance with the federal requirements of Title IV-D of the Social Security Act and corresponding state laws and regulations without regard to whether there is any existing court order, delinquency, or presumption of paternity. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 51:1442

• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.