{"data":{"id":"us-wa/rcw-26.21a.230","jurisdiction":"us-wa","citation":"RCW 26.21A.230","heading":"Duties of support enforcement agency.","body":"(1) A support enforcement agency of this state, upon request, shall provide services to a petitioner in a proceeding under this chapter.\n(2) 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 two days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after receipt of a written notice in a record from an initiating, responding, or registering tribunal, send a copy of the notice to the petitioner;\n(e) Within two days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after receipt of a written 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.\n(3) 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 two 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(4) 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 equivalent amounts in dollars under the applicable official or market exchange rate as publicly reported.\n(5) 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 RCW 26.21A.290.\n(6) 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 26","Chapter 26.21A"],"source_url":"https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=26.21A.230","current_through":"July 15, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-06T00:42:38Z","sha256":"9a4b030512ee2fb3fcc3f739708efb06886e11837922c2953b8f3d0d6271e03c","source_id":"us-wa","stale":false,"prev":"us-wa/rcw-26.21a.225","next":"us-wa/rcw-26.21a.235"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}