Roles & Responsibilities for Establishing Child Support Orders

Child support programs must comply with state and federal laws and regulations. The following government entities are involved with issuing court orders for child- and family support.

Local Child Support Agencies

• Schedule cases for court hearings
• Recommend levels of child and medical support according to the Child Support Percentage of Income Standard and Wisconsin law to the court
• Respond to parents' requests for a review of their child support order
• Recommend changes to a court order when the order does not comply with the Percentage Standard or does not include medical support
• Draft child support agreements (stipulations) with parents (These agreement must receive court approval to be valid.)
• Review stipulations drafted by the parents before it is filed with the court

Local Courts

• Make findings of the ability to pay support
• Enter orders and sets child and medical support
• Decide whether the amount of child support ordered should be changed
• Review legal agreements (stipulations) between parents, and decides if the agreements should be approved

State Bureau of Child Support

• Reviews the Child Support Percentage of Income Standard every four years according to federal requirements to determine whether changes are appropriate

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