Glossary of Child Support Terms

Absent Parent: The parent or parents who does not live with the child/ren but who have a duty of financial support for the child/ren.

Administrative Hearing: A hearing conducted at the Sandusky County CSEA by an Administrative Hearing Officer. The Hearing Officer is an employee of Sandusky County CSEA who will review the case before her and issue an independent decision regarding the case. Administrative hearings may be conducted regarding paternity, child support, medical insurance, modification of support and mistake of fact hearings.

Criminal Non-Support: An absent parent who willfully fails to pay support may be charged with criminal non-support. These cases must meet certain criteria to be considered for prosecution.

Custody: A legal determination as to what individual has legal control over the child. Ohio law presumes that an unmarried mother is the legal custodian of the child absent any order to the contrary. The CSEA does not involve itself with custody issues.

Default: Condition of a child support account in which the obligor has failed to make full monthly payments in a timely fashion.

Delinquent Support: A support account that is in arrears. If an account is one month or more in arrears, the CSEA may take action regarding the same.

Emancipation: The act of removing a child from a support order because that child has become an adult and is no longer a full time high school student.

Enforcement: Efforts taken to see that a support and/or health insurance order are paid or fulfilled.

Financial Institution Withholding: Procedure by which funds may be withdrawn on a regular basis from a bank or financial institution set up by the absent parent: the withdraw is made via an administrative or judicial order to the bank or institution.

Genetic Test: Analysis of blood, tissue and/or DNA of the mother, child and alleged father(s) to prove or disprove paternity. Sandusky County CSEA uses the buccal swab method of collecting samples. The buccal swab, which obtains samples from the inner cheek of the parties, is painless, quick and reliable.

Income Withholding: Procedure by which the payer of an obligor deducts support pursuant to an order from the CSEA.

Lien: Legal claim upon property to prevent sale or transfer until a debt is satisfied.

Mistake of Fact Hearing: An administrative hearing available to the parties if they disagree with certain decisions and/or recommendations of the CSEA including emancipations and default.

Obligee: The party entitled to receive child support payments.

Obligor: The party ordered to pay child support.

Paternity Establishment: The administrative or judicial establishment of a party as the biological father of a child.

Processing Charge: An amount of 2% which the CSEA is required to charge on every dollar it collects.

Support Order: An order, administrative or judicial, for the obligor to pay the obligee for the care and support of the child/ren.