Learn about new laws that are causing significant changes in time-limited work rules for SNAP recipients and that impact recipients and increase workload for Minnesota's counties and Tribal Nations.
The federal shutdown has ended, and SNAP benefits are being processed and distributed on schedule. Learn more at https://dcyf.mn.gov/federal-shutdown
Title
Federal criminal prosecution
Intro
The child support office can refer a parent to the U.S. Attorney's Office for federal criminal prosecution for intentionally not paying support.
The U.S. attorney gives priority to cases where the parent who owes child support:
- Moves from state to state to avoid payment
- Owes at least $5,000
- Fails to pay support after being found in contempt of court
- Fails to make support payments in connection with another federal offense
- Fails to pay support on a case including at least one minor child.
The child support office may consider this if all of the following are true:
- A court-ordered child support obligation exists.
- The parent who owes support:
- Knew of the support obligation
- Had the ability to pay the support
- Willfully failed to pay the support
- Crossed state lines to avoid paying the support
- Has not made any payments within the last year or has accrued arrears of at least $5,000.
- The child support office has exhausted all reasonable legal remedies, such as contempt.
Exclusions
The child support office will not refer a parent if any of the following is true:
- The case does not meet the criteria
- Court order prohibits federal criminal prosecution
- The parent filed bankruptcy and remains protected.
Authority
- 18 United States Code, section 228