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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>72515</law_id><section_number>63.2-1908</section_number><catch_line>Payment of public assistance for child or custodial parent constitutes debt to Department by noncustodial parents; limitations; Department subrogated to rights</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>20-79.2</reference><reference>63.2-1958</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="63.2">Welfare (Social Services)</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="V">Administrative Child Support</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="19">Child Support Enforcement</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="2">Public Assistance</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any payment of <span class="dictionary">public assistance</span> money made to or for the benefit of any <span class="dictionary">dependent child</span> or children or their <span class="dictionary">custodial parent</span> creates a <span class="dictionary">debt</span> due and owing to the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> by the person or persons who are responsible for support of such children or <span class="dictionary">custodial parent</span> in an amount equal to the amount of <span class="dictionary">public assistance</span> money so paid. Where there has been a <span class="dictionary">court order</span> for support, final <span class="dictionary">decree</span> of divorce ordering support, or <span class="dictionary">administrative order</span> under the provisions of this chapter for support, the <span class="dictionary">debt</span> shall be limited to the amount of such order or <span class="dictionary">decree</span>. The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>, pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Commissioner may set amount of debt accrued where no court order or final divorce decree" href="/63.2-1922/">63.2-1922</a>, shall establish the <span class="dictionary">debt</span> in an amount determined to be consistent with a <span class="dictionary">noncustodial parent</span>&#x2019;s ability to pay. The <span class="dictionary">Department</span> shall have the right to <span class="dictionary">petition</span> the appropriate court for modification of a <span class="dictionary">court order</span> on the same grounds as either <span class="dictionary">party</span> to such cause.
		The <span class="dictionary">Department</span> shall be subrogated to the right of such child or children or <span class="dictionary">custodial parent</span> to <span class="dictionary">prosecute</span> or maintain any support action or execute any administrative remedy existing under the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of the Commonwealth to obtain reimbursement of moneys thus expended and may collect on behalf of any such child, children or <span class="dictionary">custodial parent</span> any amount contained in any <span class="dictionary">court order</span> of support or any <span class="dictionary">administrative order</span> of support regardless of whether or not the amount of such <span class="dictionary">orders</span> exceeds the amount of <span class="dictionary">public assistance</span> paid. Any support paid in excess of the total amount of <span class="dictionary">public assistance</span> paid shall be returned to the <span class="dictionary">custodial parent</span> by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>. If a <span class="dictionary">court order</span> for support or final <span class="dictionary">decree</span> of divorce ordering support enters <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> for an amount of support to be paid by such <span class="dictionary">noncustodial parent</span>, the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> shall be subrogated to the <span class="dictionary">debt</span> created by such order, and said money <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> shall be deemed to be in favor of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>. In any judicial proceeding brought by an attorney on behalf of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> pursuant to this section to enforce a support obligation in which the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> prevails, attorney&#x2019;s fees shall be assessed pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Recovery of certain fees and costs" href="/63.2-1960/">63.2-1960</a>.
		The <span class="dictionary">Department</span> shall have the authority to pursue establishment and enforcement actions against the person responsible for support after the closure of the <span class="dictionary">public assistance</span> case unless the <span class="dictionary">custodial parent</span> notifies the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> in writing that child support enforcement services are no longer desired.
		<span class="dictionary">Debt</span> created by an <span class="dictionary">administrative support order</span> under this section shall not be incurred by nor at any time be collected from a <span class="dictionary">noncustodial parent</span> who is the recipient of <span class="dictionary">public assistance</span> moneys for the benefit of <span class="dictionary">minor</span> dependent children for the period such person or persons are in such status. Recipients of federal supplemental security <span class="dictionary">income</span> shall not be subject to the establishment of an <span class="dictionary">administrative support order</span> while they receive benefits from that source.</p></section></text><history>1974, c. 413, &#xA7; 63.1-251; 1975, c. 596; 1976, c. 357; 1977, cc. 538, 662; 1985, c. 488; 1988, c. 907; 1992, c. 716; 1993, cc. 534, 602; 1995, c. 450; 2002, c. 747; 2020, c. 550.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
