The Support Enforcement Agency is responsible for collecting & distributing court-ordered funds for child and spousal support, including:
- Registering Support Orders issued in the province and incoming Support Orders from other jurisdictions for enforcement;
- Receiving and disbursing court-ordered funds for support, maintenance or alimony;
- Issuing Notices of Garnishment (employers, banks, federal government);
- Transmitting Support Orders to other jurisdictions;
- Initiating Default Summonses;
- Tracing delinquent payers;
- Initiating seizure and sale under the Judgment Enforcement Act; and
- Receiving and transmitting ISO applications under the Interjurisdictional Support Orders Act.
It is mandatory that all orders related to support payments issued by a court in Newfoundland and Labrador be sent to the Support Enforcement Agency for enrollment. It is the court’s responsibility to send a certified copy of the support order to the Support Enforcement Agency.
Upon receipt of the support order a file is created and the Creditor (the person entitled to receive support) is sent a registration package including an Opt-Out form. The file will remain open unless the creditor fails to register or Opts Out of the Program. The Debtor (the person paying the support) is sent a notice of registration package that includes information on the program including where and how to make payments. The registration package also provides information as to the possible enforcement actions that may be initiated if the Debtor does not comply with the terms of their support order.
You can find more information about support enforcement in this Province here.