{"data":{"id":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-209d-3-307","jurisdiction":"us-ma","citation":"Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 209D, § 3-307","heading":"Duties of support enforcement agency","body":"Section 3–307. Duties of support enforcement agency.\n(a) In a proceeding under this chapter, a support enforcement agency of the commonwealth, upon request:\n(1) shall provide services to a petitioner residing in a state;\n(2) shall provide services to a petitioner requesting services through a central authority of a foreign country as described in section 1–102(5) (i) or (iv); and\n(3) may provide services to a petitioner who is an individual not residing in a state.\n(b) A support enforcement agency of the commonwealth that is providing services to the petitioner shall:\n(1) take all steps necessary to enable an appropriate tribunal of the commonwealth, another state or a foreign country to obtain jurisdiction over the respondent;\n(2) request an appropriate tribunal to set a date, time and place for a hearing;\n(3) make a reasonable effort to obtain all relevant information, including information as to income and property of the parties;\n(4) within 5 days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after receipt of notice in a record from an initiating, responding or registering tribunal, send a copy of the notice to the petitioner;\n(5) within 5 days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after receipt of communication in a record from the respondent or the respondent's attorney, send a copy of the communication to the petitioner; and\n(6) notify the petitioner if jurisdiction over the respondent cannot be obtained.\n(c) A support enforcement agency of the commonwealth that requests registration of a child support order in the commonwealth for enforcement or for modification shall make reasonable efforts:\n(1) to ensure that the order to be registered is the controlling order; or\n(2) if 2 or more child support orders exist and the identity of the controlling order has not been determined, to ensure that a request for such a determination is made in a tribunal having jurisdiction to do so.\n(d) A support enforcement agency of the commonwealth that requests registration and enforcement of a support order, arrears or judgment stated in a foreign currency shall convert the amounts stated in the foreign currency into the equivalent amounts in dollars under the applicable official or market exchange rate as publicly reported.\n(e) A support enforcement agency of the commonwealth shall issue or request a tribunal of the commonwealth to issue a child support order and an income withholding order that redirect payment of current support, arrears and interest if requested to do so by a support enforcement agency of another state pursuant to section 3–319.\n(f) This chapter does not create or negate a relationship of attorney and client or other fiduciary relationship between a support enforcement agency or the attorney for the agency and the individual being assisted by the agency.","path":["Part II","Title III","Chapter 209D"],"source_url":"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleIII/Chapter209D/Section3-307","current_through":"amendments passed before May 31, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T05:24:39Z","sha256":"63e07e5bb6afeca5afc70cee54f8f1d83888bdccad64e6d096ffadc5f556dff6","source_id":"us-ma","stale":false,"prev":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-209d-3-306","next":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-209d-3-308"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}