Filing a Formal Complaint with the Child Support Program

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In Wisconsin, county and tribal child support agencies provide child support case management services. This means that your assigned county or tribal child support agency is responsible for managing your case and providing services to you. Information about your child support case will be shared with third parties only for the administration of the child support program.

If you believe that you were treated unfairly, your most effective action is to contact your child support agency and share your concern.

If you believe your assigned tribal child support agency did not take a mandatory action on your case, please contact them to discuss your concern. 

Formal Child Support Complaints

Formal (or Administrative) complaints are when you believe:

  1. The county child support agency did not take a mandatory action in your case, or 
  2. The county child support agency took an action that you believe is wrong. 

If you have either of these concerns, you have the right to submit a complaint and have your case reviewed. To begin the complaint process, you will need to fill out a complaint form and submit it to the child support agency responsible for managing your case. See below:

Each child support agency must have an independent fact finder, who is not involved in your case, review the case record and provide an unbiased response to your complaint. The agency is required to respond to your complaint.

Child support complaints are not accepted at the state level. Please direct your concerns to the child support agency or the county.

Filing Your Own Court Actions

If you want to take the issue in your child support case before the court yourself, you can file your own "pro se" action. Your county Clerk of Court office can provide a packet containing the forms you need. Forms and instructions are also available online from the Office of State Courts.