Oklahoma Child Support Services Vocabulary

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering legal, administrative, and regulatory child support terminology referenced in the Oklahoma Child Support Services transcript.

Absent Parent

Any individual who is absent from the home and is legally responsible for providing financial support for a dependent child.

Accrual

The sum of child support payments that are due or overdue.

Address of Record (AOR)

An address for a party or a custodial person in the Central Case Registry of Oklahoma Child Support Services used for service of process in support, custody, and visitation actions.

Adjudicated Father

A man who has been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be the father of a child.

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

The federal agency that houses the Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Administrative Complaint Procedure

A procedure providing CSS customers an opportunity to raise concerns about services or treatment, request an administrative review, and address errors without requiring a formal administrative hearing.

Administrative Offset

The process of withholding all or part of a federal non-tax payment paid to an individual who owes delinquent non-tax debt, applying the funds to reduce or satisfy the debt.

Affidavit of Service

A notarized statement completed by an authorized person verifying personal delivery of a summons, subpoena, citation, or order to a noncustodial parent or qualified household member.

Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)

Former entitlement public assistance program replaced by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) under PRWORA in 1996.

Alleged Father

A man named as the father of a child born to unmarried parents who has not been legally determined to be the father; also referred to as a putative father.

Allocation

The accounting process used to divide total child support receipts among the eligible active obligations of an obligor across multiple families.

Arrears

The total amount of past-due, unpaid child support owed by a noncustodial parent.

Assignment of Support Rights

The legal procedure where a recipient of public assistance agrees to turn over to the state or tribe rights to child support payments in exchange for cash assistance benefits.

Automated Administrative Enforcement of Interstate Cases (AEI)

A PRWORA provision enabling states to locate, place liens on, and seize financial assets of delinquent obligors across state lines.

Bad Debt

Occurs when payment funding issued by CSS to a recipient is subsequently withdrawn due to a revoked tax intercept or a dishonored check.

Bench Warrant

An order issued by a judge directing law enforcement to arrest and bring an individual before the court after failing to make a required court appearance.

Centralized Support Registry (CSR)

Oklahoma's repository maintained by CSS to receive, allocate, and distribute support payments, serving as the state's State Disbursement Unit.

Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA)

Federal law establishing maximum limits (ranging from 50% to 65%) on the percentage of disposable earnings that can be withheld for child support garnishments.

Contempt of Court

Any willful act calculated to obstruct a court in administering justice, or failure to comply with a court order.

Continuing Exclusive Jurisdiction (CEJ)

The legal doctrine that only one support order should be effective and enforceable between parties at a time, retaining authority until properly transferred.

Custodial Person (CP)

The person who has primary care, custody, and control of the child(ren) and is entitled to receive child support on their behalf.

Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS)

Managed healthcare medical coverage provided for family members of military personnel through TRICARE.

Disposable Income

The portion of an employee's earnings remaining after mandatory legal deductions (such as taxes and Social Security) subject to garnishment or child support withholding.

Emancipation

The point at which a child reaches the legal age of majority (18 in Oklahoma) and ceases to be considered a dependent minor under state law.

Federal Case Registry (FCR)

A national database of information on individuals in all IV-D cases and non-IV-D orders established or modified on or after October 1, 1998.

Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS)

A computerized national location network operated by OCSS to compare child support case, address, and employment data across jurisdictions.

Full Faith and Credit for Child Support Orders Act (FFCCSOA)

Federal statute requiring states and tribes to honor and enforce child support orders issued by tribunals in other states or tribes.

Garnishment

A legal proceeding under which a portion of a person's wages or financial assets are involuntarily withheld to satisfy an outstanding debt.

Imputed Income

Income attributed to an individual by a decision-maker based on education, work history, and earning capacity when the individual is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed.

Income Assignment

An assignment of earnings requiring an employer to withhold child support payments directly from a noncustodial parent's wages.

Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA)

Federal law establishing tribal jurisdiction standards in custody, adoption, and foster care matters involving Native American children to preserve family connections.

Intergovernmental Case

A child support case in which parties reside in different states, tribes, or countries, requiring joint action across multiple legal jurisdictions.

IV-D Case

A case in which child support services (paternity establishment, order enforcement, payment processing) are provided under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act.

Long Arm Jurisdiction

A legal provision allowing a court to claim personal jurisdiction over a non-resident individual based on specified minimum contacts within the state.

National Directory of New Hires (NDNH)

A national database maintained by OCSS containing state new hire, quarterly wage, and unemployment insurance data to assist in locator and enforcement actions.

National Medical Support Notice (NMSN)

The standard federal form sent to employers ordering them to enroll a noncustodial parent's child in available healthcare coverage.

Noncustodial Parent (NCP)

The parent who does not have primary care, custody, or control of the child and is obligated to pay child support; also referred to as the obligor.

Office of Child Support Services (OCSS)

The federal agency within the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for setting national policy and overseeing the Title IV-D child support program.

Passport Denial Program

A federal enforcement program that flags obligors owing delinquent support above threshold levels to prevent the U.S. Department of State from issuing or renewing passports.

Paternity

The legal establishment of fatherhood for a child through voluntary acknowledgment, administrative action, tribal custom, or court adjudication.

Presumed Father

A man recognized by operation of law as the legal father of a child until that legal status is officially rebutted or confirmed in court.

Purge Conditions

A set of court-approved steps or payments an obligor must fulfill to eliminate a contempt of court citation.

Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO)

A court order used to mandate support or property payouts from ERISA-regulated retirement and pension plans.

Right-Sizing Orders

The practice of establishing or modifying support obligations to reflect the obligor's actual current income and financial circumstances.

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)

Federal law protecting active-duty military personnel from certain civil court proceedings and default judgments while serving.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

A time-limited federal public assistance program under Title IV-A of the Social Security Act providing financial assistance to eligible low-income families.

Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA)

Standardized legislation adopted by states establishing enforcement, modification, and direct administrative tools for interstate child support cases.

Uniform Parentage Act (UPA)

A uniform legislative act establishing equal rights for children regardless of parental marital status and providing rules for paternity challenges.

Unreimbursed Public Assistance (URA)

The cumulative total of cash assistance benefits paid out to a family that has not yet been recouped through assigned child support collections.