PDFWAC 388-14A-6300

Duty of the administrative law judge in a hearing to determine the amount of a support obligation.

(1) A support order entered under this chapter must conform to the requirements set forth in RCW 26.09.105, 26.18.170, 26.23.050, and 26.23.110. The administrative law judge (ALJ) must comply with the DSHS rules on child support and include a Washington state child support schedule worksheet when entering a support order.
(2) In hearings held under this chapter to contest a notice and finding of financial responsibility or a notice and finding of parental responsibility or other notice or petition, the ALJ must determine:
(a) The noncustodial parent's obligation to provide support under RCW 74.20A.057;
(b) The names and dates of birth of the children covered by the support order;
(c) The net monthly income of the noncustodial parent (NCP) and the other parent of the children;
(d) The NCP's share of the basic support obligation and any adjustments to that share, according to his or her circumstances;
(e) Each parent's proportionate share of costs such as uninsured medical expenses, day care and special child rearing expenses;
(f) If requested by a party, the NCP's proportionate share of costs such as uninsured medical expenses or day care expenses in a sum certain amount per month;
(g) A statement that either or both parents are obligated to provide medical support under RCW 26.09.105 and 26.18.170, as provided in subsection (3) of this section, including but not limited to notice that if proof of health care coverage or proof that the coverage is unavailable is not provided to DCS within twenty days, DCS may seek direct enforcement through the obligated parent's employer or union without further notice to the parent;
(h) The NCP's accrued debt and order payments toward the debt in a monthly amount to be determined by the division of child support (DCS);
(i) The NCP's current and future monthly support obligation as a sum certain amount per month, and also as a "per month per child" amount if appropriate under WAC 388-14A-3200(4) and 388-14A-4800, and order payments in that amount.
(3) In determining the medical support obligation of the parents, the ALJ must:
(a) Require both parents to provide medical support for the children covered by the order. Medical support includes both:
(i) The obligation to provide health care coverage for the children:
(A) If coverage that can be extended to cover the children is or becomes available through the obligated parent's employer or union:
(B) If the obligated parent can enroll the children in public health care coverage; or
(C) When coverage is not available, to make a monthly contribution toward the premium paid for coverage by the other parent or the state; and
(ii) The obligation to pay his or her proportionate share of uninsured medical expenses.
(b) Determine whether one (but not both) of the parents should be excused from the obligation to provide coverage or contribute to a premium.
(i) The ALJ must state the reasons for excusing a parent from the coverage obligation.
(ii) The ALJ may not excuse that parent from the obligation to contribute his or her proportionate share of uninsured medical expenses.
(4) Having made the determinations required in subsection (2) above, the ALJ must order the NCP to make payments to the Washington state support registry (WSSR).
(5) The ALJ must allow DCS to orally amend the notice at the hearing to conform to the evidence. The ALJ may grant a continuance, when necessary, to allow the NCP or the CP additional time to present rebutting evidence or argument as to the amendment.
(6) The ALJ may not require DCS to produce or obtain information, documents, or witnesses to assist the NCP or CP in proof of defenses to liability. However, this rule does not apply to relevant, nonconfidential information or documents that DCS has in its possession.
(7) In a hearing held on a notice of support owed served on the NCP under WAC 388-14A-3310 or 388-14A-3311, the ALJ must comply with WAC 388-14A-3323 and 388-14A-3325 to determine, depending on what was requested in the notice:
(a) Whether a condition precedent in the order to begin or adjust the support obligation was met;
(b) The amount of monthly support as a fixed dollar amount;
(c) Any accrued arrears;
(d) Any difference between the amount calculated in the order resulting from a previous notice of support owed and the actual amount of the NCP's obligation for the period covered by the order; and
(e) The amount of the NCP's share of daycare or child care expenses for the children, including:
(i) The amount that the NCP must pay each month as his or her ongoing share of daycare or child care expenses for the children; and
(ii) The amount of NCP's accrued debt for daycare or child care expenses.
(8) In a hearing held on a notice of support owed served on either the NCP or the CP issued under WAC 388-14A-3312, the ALJ must determine either or both of the following, depending on what was requested in the notice:
(a) The amount owed by the obligated parent to the other for unreimbursed medical expenses;
(b) The monthly amount to be paid by the obligated parent as his or her proportionate share of the health care coverage premium paid by the other parent or the state.
(9) Except as provided in WAC 388-14A-3324, the ALJ does not specify how the amounts owed by the obligated parent should be paid.
(10) In the event that DCS has served a notice of support owed under WAC 388-14A-3312 on both the NCP and the CP, the ALJ must issue a separate administrative order for each notice issued, and may not set off the debts against each other.
(11) An administrative final order on a notice of support owed must include a provision that any subsequent notice of support owed created for the purposes of reviewing the amounts established by the final order may be served on any party to the order by regular mail to their last known address.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 26.09.105, 26.23.110, 74.04.055, 74.08.090, 74.20.040, and 74.20A.310. WSR 21-24-063, § 388-14A-6300, filed 11/29/21, effective 12/30/21. Statutory Authority: Part I of 2018 c 150 and RCW 26.09.105, 26.18.170, 26.23.050, 34.05.220 (1)(a), 34.05.350(1), 74.08.090, and 74.20.040(9). WSR 19-02-017, § 388-14A-6300, filed 12/21/18, effective 1/21/19. Statutory Authority: RCW 26.09.105(17), 26.18.170(19), 26.23.050(8), 26.23.110(14), 34.05.020, 34.05.060, 34.05.220, 74.08.090, 74.20.040, 74.20A.055(9), and 74.20A.056(11). WSR 11-12-006, § 388-14A-6300, filed 5/19/11, effective 6/19/11. Statutory Authority: 2007 c 143, §§ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9. WSR 08-12-029, § 388-14A-6300, filed 5/29/08, effective 7/1/08. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 34.05.220 (1)(a), 74.20A.055. WSR 07-06-053, § 388-14A-6300, filed 3/2/07, effective 4/2/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 34.05.220(1), 74.08.090, 74.20A.160. WSR 06-09-015, § 388-14A-6300, filed 4/10/06, effective 5/11/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 26.23.050, 34.05.220, 74.08.090, 74.20A.310. WSR 05-14-102, § 388-14A-6300, filed 6/30/05, effective 7/31/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 26.23.050, 34.05.220, 74.20A.055, 74.20A.056, 45 C.F.R. 303.11, 45 C.F.R. 303.100. WSR 01-03-089, § 388-14A-6300, filed 1/17/01, effective 2/17/01. Formerly WAC 388-11-100 and 388-11-210.]