{"data":{"id":"us-nh/rsa-546-b-18","jurisdiction":"us-nh","citation":"RSA 546-B:18","heading":"Duties of Support Enforcement Agency.","body":"I. In a proceeding under this chapter, a support enforcement agency of this state, upon request:\n(a) Shall provide services to a petitioner residing in a state;\n(b) Shall provide services to a petitioner requesting services through a central authority of a foreign country as described in RSA 546-B:1, V(a) or (d); and\n(c) May provide services to a petitioner who is an individual not residing in a state.\nII. A support enforcement agency of this state that is providing services to the petitioner shall:\n(a) Take all steps necessary to enable an appropriate tribunal of this state, another state, or a foreign country to obtain jurisdiction over the respondent;\n(b) Request an appropriate tribunal to set a date, time, and place for a hearing;\n(c) Make a reasonable effort to obtain all relevant information, including information as to income and property of the parties;\n(d) Within 10 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(e) Within 10 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(f) Notify the petitioner if jurisdiction over the respondent cannot be obtained.\nIII. A support enforcement agency of this state that requests registration of a child support order in this state for enforcement or for modification shall make reasonable efforts:\n(a) To ensure that the order to be registered is the controlling order; or\n(b) 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.\nIV. A support enforcement agency of this state 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 amounts in dollars under the applicable official or market exchange rate as publicly reported.\nV. A support enforcement agency of this state shall issue or request a tribunal of this state 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 RSA 546-B:30.\nVI. 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":["Title LV: PROCEEDINGS IN SPECIAL CASES","Chapter ARTICLE 3: CIVIL PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION"],"source_url":"https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/LV/546-B/546-B-18.htm","current_through":"2025 regular legislative session, or December 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T17:01:43Z","sha256":"05705392ed1de630bfac8064d2b1e71cee75dc9e2613d8e29c3759b1a0c0e0b8","source_id":"us-nh","stale":false,"prev":"us-nh/rsa-546-b-17","next":"us-nh/rsa-546-b-19"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}