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The first step in collecting unpaid child support is to apply for services from the Family Support Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services. More information about the Family  Support Division is available here.

If the Family Support Division cannot establish and/or enforce your child support order, it may refer your case to the Child Support Unit of the Circuit Attorney’s Office.

Many services are available to parents, including various methods of establishing, enforcing, and modifying orders of support. 

Services are also provided to non-parent custodians of children and the Juvenile Court. 

For more information, please call the Family Support Division at 314-340-7400.

An Assistant Circuit Attorney in the CAO will review your case to determine the appropriate legal action, such as: establishing parentage; filing legal actions for contempt of child support orders, and prosecution of criminal non-support. 

If the Assistant Circuit Attorney determines that legal action needs to be taken, your case will be filed in court and all necessary parties will be notified, including the financially delinquent parent.

If you request help in establishing support or receive benefits administered by the Missouri Department of Social Services (such as TANF, MC+, and Medicaid), the State will act to establish an order of support. In cases over which the Circuit Attorney’s Office has legal jurisdiction, it will file an action to establish the legal relationships and support between the parents and children. Both parents will be served a summons and petition as part of this process. If you receive these papers, an attorney in the CAO can discuss your case and explain the proposed course of action. 

The State uses the combined income of both parents to establish base financial support for the child(ren). Health insurance and daycare costs are added to the base, and the result is divided based upon the individual income of each parent. This process determines how much someone is required to pay for child support.

The CAO attempts to resolve all cases and obtain a judgment within 120 days of serving the non-custodial parent. Results vary based upon the specific facts of your case. Contested cases take longer to resolve. Either parent may hire his or her own attorney to assist with the case. 

If the person ordered to pay child support is employed, the Missouri Department of Social Services will attempt to secure regular payment of support. The Department also can collect money from lawsuits, tax refunds, bank accounts, and unemployment compensation.

Delinquent child support cases are referred to the CAO for collection efforts if the court order was entered in the City of St. Louis (22nd Judicial Circuit). The preferred solution is to avoid criminal action and seek a civil resolution. In these cases, the obligated party is required to appear in court and pay or provide a plan to pay the money due. Resources are available to assist parents who need help finding employment. Delinquent parties are ordered to return to court at regular intervals for supervision until their past due payments are resolved. In every case, the judge retains the power to punish parents who do not pay court-ordered child support, including sending the financially delinquent parent to jail. Persons who fail to appear for a court date may also be sent to jail.

In cases where the non-custodial parent lives in another state or cannot be served with legal papers, the CAO may file charges for Criminal Non-Support. It is a class E felony punishable by up to four years in the Department of Corrections and/or a fine of up to $10,000.