25-1202. Definitions


In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:


1. "Child" means an individual, whether over or under the age of majority, who is
or is alleged to be owed a duty of support by the individual's parent or who is or is
alleged to be the beneficiary of a support order directed to the parent.


2. "Child support order" means a support order for a child, including a child who
has attained the age of majority under the law of the issuing state.


3. "Duty of support" means an obligation imposed or imposable by law to provide
support for a child, spouse or former spouse, including an unsatisfied obligation to
provide support.


4. "Home state" means the state in which a child lived with a parent or a person
acting as parent for at least six consecutive months immediately preceding the time of
filing a petition or a comparable pleading for support and, if a child is less than six
months old, the state in which the child lived from birth with any of them. A period of
temporary absence of any of them is counted as part of the six month or other period.


5. "Income" includes earnings or other periodic entitlements to money from any
source and any other property subject to withholding for support under the laws of this
state.


6. "Income withholding order" means an order or other legal process directed to an
obligor's employer or other debtor to withhold support from the income of the obligor.


7. "Initiating state" means a state from which a proceeding is forwarded or in
which a proceeding is filed for forwarding to a responding state under this chapter or a
law or procedure substantially similar to this chapter.


8. "Initiating tribunal" means the authorized tribunal in an initiating state.


9. "Issuing state" means the state in which a tribunal issues a support order or
renders a judgment determining parentage.


10. "Issuing tribunal" means the tribunal that issues a support order or renders a
judgment determining parentage.


11. "Law" includes decisional and statutory law and rules and regulations having the
force of law.


12. "Obligee" means any of the following:


(a) An individual to whom a duty of support is or is alleged to be owed or in whose
favor a support order has been issued or a judgment determining parentage has been
rendered.


(b) A state or political subdivision to which the rights under a duty of support or
support order have been assigned or that has independent claims based on financial
assistance provided to an individual obligee.


(c) An individual who seeks a judgment determining parentage of the individual's
child.


13. "Obligor" means an individual or the estate of a decedent that meets any of the
following conditions:


(a) Owes or is alleged to owe a duty of support.


(b) Is alleged but has not been adjudicated to be a parent of a child.


(c) Is liable under a support order.


14. "Person" has the same meaning prescribed in section 1-215.


15. "Petition" includes a complaint.


16. "Record" means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is
stored in an electronic or other medium and that is retrievable in perceivable form.


17. "Register" means to file a support order or judgment determining parentage in
superior court.


18. "Registering tribunal" means a tribunal in which a support order is registered.


19. "Responding state" means a state in which a proceeding is filed or to which a
proceeding is forwarded for filing from an initiating state under this chapter or a law
substantially similar to this chapter.


20. "Responding tribunal" means the authorized tribunal in a responding state.


21. "Spousal support order" means a support order for a spouse or former spouse of
the obligor.


22. "State" means a state of the United States, the district of Columbia, Puerto
Rico, the United States Virgin Islands or any territory or insular possession subject to
the jurisdiction of the United States. State includes:


(a) An Indian tribe.


(b) A foreign country or political subdivision that has:


(i) been declared to be a foreign reciprocating country or political subdivision
under federal law.


(ii) established a reciprocal arrangement for child support with this state
pursuant to section 25-1248.


(iii) Enacted a law or established procedures for issuance and enforcement of
support orders that are substantially similar to the procedures under this chapter.


23. "Support enforcement agency" means a public official or agency authorized to
seek:


(a) The enforcement of support orders or laws relating to the duty of support.


(b) The establishment or modification of child support.


(c) The determination of parentage.


(d) The location of obligors or their assets.


(e) A determination of the controlling child support order.


24. "Support order" means a judgment, decree, order or directive, whether temporary,
final or subject to modification, for the benefit of a child, a spouse or a former
spouse, that provides for monetary support, health care, arrearages or reimbursement and
that may include related costs and fees, interest, income withholding, attorney fees and
other relief.


25. "Tribunal" means a court, administrative agency or quasi-judicial entity
authorized to establish, enforce or modify support orders or to determine parentage.