Child Support and Frozen Bank Accounts

Question

We received a nice letter in the mail from the state of California that wants to freeze our bank accounts for unpaid child support. We, however, do not live in California, we don't live in the U.S. at all - we live in Puerto Rico. Can the state of california freeze bank accounts that are in other countries?

Answer 1

Call them and ask!

Answer 2

Puerto Rico is an unincorporated TERRITORY of the US. Accordingly, it gives full faith and credit to judgments duly issued by US state courts. Thus, yes, a back account in Puerto Rico is subject to a levy to pay amounts due under a California child support order.

Answer 3

A more appropriate question would be:  Do you have unpaid child support??  If so, pay up (regardless of where you are)!

Answer 4

States have long-arm statutes to reach residents of other states - this is especially enforced when it involves child support.  You and your assets can probably be reached, although it can differ based on your individual case, either by a long arm statute or URESA.

URESA is a child support enforcement act that has been adopted by all states and Puerto Rico.  The purpose of URESA is to provide a system for the interstate enforcement of support orders without requiring the person seeking support to go (or have her legal representative go) to the State in which the noncustodial parent resides. Where the URESA provisions between the two States are compatible, the law can be used to establish paternity, locate an absent parent, and establish, modify, or enforce a support order across State lines.

Long arm statutes allow even more rights.  Unlike URESA, interstate cases established or enforced by long arm statutes use the court system in the State of the custodial parent rather than that of the noncustodial parent. When a person commits certain acts in a State of which he is not a resident, that person may be subjecting himself to the jurisdiction of that State. The long arm of the law of the State where the event occurs may reach out to grab the out-of-State person so that issues relating to the event may be resolved where it happened. Under the long arm procedure, the State must authorize by statute that the acts allegedly committed by the defendant are those that subject the defendant to the State's jurisdiction. An example is a paternity statute stating that if conception takes place in the State and the child lives in the State, the State may exercise jurisdiction over the alleged father even if he lives in another State. Long arm statute language usually extends the State's jurisdiction over an out-of-State defendant to the maximum extent permitted by the U.S. Constitution under the 14th amendment's due process clause. Long arm statutes may be used to establish paternity, establish support awards, and enforce support orders.

I would speak to an attorney who specializes in family law and Puerto Rican law - while a long-arm statute may or may not be applicable to reach you (I am not familiar with Puerto Rico's long arm statute)  - URESA has been adopted by Puerto Rico in order to keep responsible parties paying child support regardless of where they are located in relation to the custodial parent.

Answer 5

no they cant, its a scam

Answer 6

I believe that P.A.is considered a protectorate of the U.S. and I think yes they can freeze your assets for unpaid child support in any

country just so long as they get cooperation from the country you are in.

Answer 7

You better find yourself a nice lawyer and let them deal with this for you...

Answer 8

You should know you live in the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, not another country. Puerto Rico is part of the USA for now. But I doubt if California can freeze bank accounts in even another state.

Do you owe child support? If so, pay it.