If you receive public assistance, the receipt of your benefits may be conditioned upon your cooperation with the Agency in its efforts to establish and enforce a child support order against the other parent (if the other parent is not living with the child). Cooperation means providing any information about the payer that you know or could reasonably find out, including address, employer, place of birth, physical description, and any other income information. It also means filling out forms immediately, keeping appointments, attending court hearings, and cooperating with genetic testing.
If, however, you believe that cooperation with the Agency could result in harm to yourself or your child, or if your child was conceived as a result of incest or rape, you may not need to cooperate with the Agency if you fill out a "Good Cause Claim." You may obtain a "Good Cause Claim" application from Dane County Human Services here.
Many people have private attorneys during the course of a legal action (such as divorce, paternity, or contempt). You may have the Agency's collection services and a private attorney's Legal representation at the same time.
The Agency has attorneys. However, these attorneys represent the State of Wisconsin and not any individual in an action. Unlike a private attorney you retain, the agency attorneys are not required to keep information you tell them confidential. They are also not bound to take a position that is favorable to you. Their job is to obtain the most fair child support orders possible, in accordance with the law, and to enforce child support orders.
The information contained in the files of the Agency are not open to the public.
Certain information may be shared with others only for the purpose(s) of the administration of the child support program and other related programs (Sec. 49.83, Stats.).
If a person has a concern that he or she may be harmed if certain information is released, the person should inform an Agency employee. If appropriate, steps may be taken to protect certain information from being released at all.
All parties must notify the Child Support Agency and the Clerk of Courts of any change of address within ten days. Parties are presumed to have complied with this statutory requirement. Failure to do so may result in your missing important legal documents that may affect your rights. For a child support recipient, it may also mean that you do not receive child support. For a child support payer, it may result in a judge issuing a civil warrant for your arrest if you cannot be found otherwise.
All child support payers are required by statute to notify the Child Support Office and the payee within ten business days of any change of employer and/or of any substantial change in the amount of his or her income.
The Dane County Child Support Agency is an equal opportunity service provider. If you need assistance to access services or materials in an alternate format, please contact the Agency at (608) 266-4031 or the DES Equal Opportunity Office at (608) 267-0927 (Voice and TDD).
If you have any other specific questions about the services of the agency or details about your case, you may either write the Agency (Room 365 of the City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Madison, WI 53703), call the Agency (608-266-4031), or come to the office in person.
