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Child Support
The Columbia County Prosecuting Attorney's Office represents the children of Columbia County in matters of parentage and to establish and enforce child support orders in cases referred to us by the State of Washington Department of Social and Health Services Division of Child Support. Generally, these cases involve children who receive benefits or services from the State of Washington, and/or whose custodial parent has requested enforcement services from the State.
PLEASE NOTE: All requests for support enforcement or paternity establishment services must be made through the Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Child Support (DCS). Use the link or contact the Division of Child Support directly at 1-800-442-KIDS (5437). We are unable to enforce any child support orders not referred to us by DCS, or to work on any child support or parentage (paternity) cases directly from individuals.
Custodial Parents
A custodial parent is one who has primary residential placement of a child and is owed child support.
If you have not requested enforcement services from DCS, or are not receiving Washington State benefits for your child, our office is unable to collect child support you are owed, to work on parenting plans, or to establish parentage (paternity). If you are owed child support or need help with other parentage issues, please contact DCS to apply for enforcement services.
Non-Custodial Parents
A non-custodial parent does not have primary residential placement of a child, and has been ordered to pay child support.
Non-custodial parents who pay child support through DCS are assigned a caseworker who can answer questions about the original child support orders, the possibility of reducing payment amounts, or other questions. Our office can not change child support orders or amounts of payments or work on parenting plans or parentage orders without a referral from DCS; please contact your caseworker to request these services.
If you have a case that has been referred to us for enforcement, you may make your child support payments to our office. Payments must be in the form of a money-order or cashier's check (no cash or personal checks), and made out to "Washington State Department of Child Support," or "Washington DCS." Please include your name and address on the check or money-order, and either bring it inside the office or deposit it in our mailbox. We are not responsible for lost or missing payments not directly given to an employee of the office.
For other questions regarding payment of child support, or to find out how to pay online, please visit the Department of Child Support website.
If your case is in a review or contempt status, hearings are held in the Superior Court on the last Wednesday morning docket of the month at 11:00 a.m. If you are unsure if your child support has been paid prior to your hearing, please call our office or the superior court to see if you have been excused. Failure to appear at the 11:00 a.m. docket if you have a hearing scheduled will result in a bench warrant, so be sure you are excused before your court date.
Links
DSHS DCS Frequently Asked Questions