Section 19-11-12. Review of orders for child support; review procedures; order adjusting support award amount; no release from liability due to subsequent financial obligation

   (a) The IV-D agency shall review orders for child support in accordance with the guidelines prescribed in Code Section 19-6-15.

(b) (1) The IV-D agency shall periodically give notice to the obligor and obligee who are subject to a IV-D court order for child support of the right of each to request a review of the order by the IV-D agency for possible recommendation for adjustment of such order. Such notification should be provided within 36 months after the establishment of the order or the most recent review; however, failure to provide the notice within 36 months shall not affect the right of either party to request, in writing, a review nor the right of the IV-D agency to conduct a review and to recommend an adjustment to the order. Such notice may be included in the initial order or review recommendation.

   (2) The establishment of a child support order or the entry of an order to modify a child support order or a determination of no change to a child support order under this Code section shall commence a 36 month cycle, the purpose of which is to provide the parties the right to a review of the order at least every 36 months or in such shorter cycle as the IV-D agency may determine. The failure of either party to request a review at least once every 36 months shall not affect the right of either party to request a review nor the right of the IV-D agency to conduct a review and to recommend an adjustment to the order at any time beyond the 36 month cycle.

(c) (1) All IV-D agency orders that are active TANF cases shall be reviewed under this Code section following the expiration of the thirty-sixth month after the order was issued, without a request from the obligor or obligee. All other orders for support being enforced by a IV-D agency shall be eligible for review pursuant to this Code section upon application and payment of fees required by the IV-D agency at the completion of the review.

   (2) If the request for the review occurs less than 36 months since the last issuance or last review of the order, the IV-D agency shall review, and if the requesting party demonstrates a substantial change in circumstances, seek to modify the order in accordance with the guidelines as provided by paragraph (2) of subsection (d) of this Code section.

   (3) If the request for the review occurs at least 36 months after the last issuance or last review, the requesting party shall not be required to demonstrate a substantial change in circumstances, the need for additional support, or that the needs of the child have decreased. The sole basis for a recommendation for a change in the award of support under this paragraph shall be a significant inconsistency between the existing child support order and the amount of child support which would result from the application of Code Section 19-6-15.

(d) (1) The IV-D agency shall notify the obligor and obligee at least 30 days before the commencement of a review of a child support order.

   (2) The IV-D agency shall review and, if there is a significant inconsistency between the amount of the existing child support order and the amount of child support which would result from the application of Code Section 19-6-15, the agency shall make a recommendation for an increase or decrease in the amount of an existing order for support. The IV-D agency shall not be deemed to be representing either the obligee or obligor in a proceeding under this Code section.

   (3) Upon completion of a review, the IV-D agency shall send notice by first-class mail to the obligor and obligee at their last known addresses of a proposed adjustment or a determination that there should be no change in the child support award amount.

   (4) (A) In the case of an administrative order, the agency shall request the administrative law judge to increase or decrease the amount in the existing order in accordance with the agency recommendation. If either the obligor or the obligee files with the agency written objections to the agency's proposed child support order adjustment or determination of no change to the child support order within 33 days of the mailed notice, the matter shall be scheduled for an administrative hearing within the Office of State Administrative Hearings. The administrative order adjusting the child support award amount which results from a hearing or the failure to object to the agency's proposed adjustment or determination of no change shall, upon filing with the local clerk of the court, have the full effect of a modification of the original order or decree of support. As part of the order adjusting the child support award the administrative law judge shall issue an income and earnings deduction order which shall also be filed with the court pursuant to Code Sections 19-6-30 through 19-6-33.

      (B) In the case of a judicial order, the agency shall file a petition asking the court to adopt the agency's proposed adjustment or determination of no change to the child support order which shall be filed contemporaneously with the agency's mailed notice and shall serve such petition upon the obligor and obligee in the manner provided in subsection (e) of Code Section 9-11-4. Upon the filing of a written objection to the agency's proposed adjustment or determination of no change with the clerk of the superior court and with the agency, a de novo proceeding shall be scheduled with the court on the matter. If neither party files an objection within 30 days from the service of the petition, the court shall issue an order adopting the recommendation of the IV-D agency. As part of the order adjusting the child support award, the court shall issue an income and earnings deduction order pursuant to Code Sections 19-6-30 through 19-6-33.

(e) When the trier of fact, the administrative law judge for administrative orders, or a judge of the superior court for court orders, as the case may be, determines that there is a significant inconsistency between the existing child support order and the amount of child support which would result from the application of Code Section 19-6-15, the trier of fact may use this inconsistency as the basis to increase or decrease the amount of support ordered. The trier of fact may also address the repayment of any arrears accumulated under the existing order.

(f) An obligor shall not be relieved of his or her duty to provide support when such obligor has brought about his or her own unstable financial condition by voluntarily incurring subsequent obligations.

(g) The department shall be authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Code section.

Ga. L. 1973, p. 192, § 11; Ga. L. 1976, p. 1537, § 10; Ga. L. 1989, p. 861, § 4; Ga. L. 1996, p. 412, § 3; Ga. L. 1997, p. 1021, § 8; Ga. L. 1999, p. 81, § 19; Ga. L. 1999, p. 906, § 1; Ga. L. 2003, p. 415, §§ 6, 7, 8; Ga. L. 2004, p. 631, § 19; Ga. L. 2010, p. 245, § 2/HB 1118.