Wages Garnished

by Shay
(Suffolk County, NY)

I live in Suffolk county in NY and was married in Queens. My divorce is from Queens Supreme Court. The divorce decree outlines that my ex-husband is responsible for paying 25% of his adjusted gross income for our two children as outlined by NY State law. However, he refuses to pay.

I went to my local Suffolk county child support office on two separate occasions in order to try and have child support enforced however they were unable to assist me. The first time that I went my divorce was not final and they told me that they could only enforce what was in my divorce decree. After my divorce was final, I went back and they told me that they couldn't help me because my divorce decree was from Queens so I would have to go to Queens.

I went to the Queens child support office who referred me to the main office in Manhattan. When I went to the Manhattan child support office, they said they couldn't do anything for me because "I need to start a case in Queens Supreme Court".

My judgment of divorce reads, "The defendant shall pay the plaintiff as and for child support of the parties unemancipated two children the sum of $525.64 per week during he calendar year 2010, and such sums due and payable thereafter, such calculations to be based upon the parties prior years income as calculated in accordance with the Child Support Standards Act as provided and agreed to in the Stipulation of Settlement, dated October 2008, incorporated by reference herein, or, in the vent of non-payment or unauthorized reduced payment by the defendant, at the election of the Plaintiff, witou prior demand or notice, collected through the Queens County Support Collections Unit located at NYS Child Support Processing Center, PO Box 15363, Albany NY 12212-5363..."

I thought that the child support office was a part of NY state and that it didn't matter where I went but I have been shuffled around from office to office with no assistance. I am obviously unable to visit the PO Box in Albany and am at my wits end. I don't have any money for a lawyer and really need to get this taken care of.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Shay in NY