Include the current address of the other party. This is very important. The other party will receive a Notice to Appear in court and a copy of your court papers. If the other party cannot be reached, your case might be dismissed or delayed.
Complete other forms as needed.
For child support, establishment of paternity, spousal support, and/or health insurance coverage, fill out these forms:If this is your first filing of an FD case, and you are requesting an emergent hearing, complete these forms:
If you already have an FD docket # involving the same people, and you are requesting an emergent hearing, complete these forms:
Upload your completed application here, or mail it to your local county court.
There is a $6 fee to apply for full child support services.
You can also request partial child support services, such as:Arrears - Arrears are unpaid or overdue child support, alimony, or spousal support payments.
Application- An application is a written request asking the court to issue an order or to change an order that has already been issued.
Bench Warrant- A bench warrant is a court order that says law enforcement can arrest a person for failure to appear for a court hearing or failure to comply with a court order.
Certification- A certification is a written statement that swears all the information you gave the court in writing is true.
Child Support Number (also called a “CS Number”) - A child support number is the number assigned to your child, spousal, or alimony support case. Any time you call the court about your child support case, you will be asked for your child support number.
Complaint- A complaint is a formal document filed in court that starts a case. It names the parties and the issues you are asking the court to decide.
Consent Conference- A consent conference is a meeting where parents in court for custody, visitation, paternity, or child support can try to resolve their issues before the judge decides the case for them.
Custodial Parent - The custodia parent is the parent whose home the child(ren) live in most of the time. This parent has most of the day-to-day responsibility.
Counterclaim - A defendant can file a counterclaim that says why they disagree with a complaint filed against them in with the court. It could also tell the court what relief the defendant is asking for now that the case has been filed.
Court Order - A court order is the written decision issued by the court. For example, a child support court order sets forth how often, how much, and what kind of support is to be paid.
Custody - Custody gives a parent the right to make decisions for the child. Sole custody means one person and joint custody means both parents share this responsibility.
Diligent Search - A diligent search means making a serious effort to find the other party named in your case. This means that you have followed up on any information you have received about where they are and you cannot find any more information.
Docket Number The docket number is the number assigned to each case filed in the court.
Exhibits - Exhibits are documents or objects you provide to the court to support what you want the court to decide.
FD - “FD” on a court case means it is a non-dissolution case. This type of case involves parents who are not married or other adults filing for court relief on behalf of minor children. FD cases can also include married people who are separated, but one parent wants custody or financial support.
File - A case is filed when the court is given the correct forms to start a court case.
Income Withholding/Wage Garnishment - Income withholding and wage garnishment both mean that automatic deductions are made from wages or other income, to pay child support. Income withholding has been mandatory since the enactment of the Family Support Act of 1988.
New Jersey Child Support Guidelines Both parents are responsible for the financial and emotional support of their children. New Jersey has developed a standard method for calculating child support based on the income of both parents and other factors. The full set of NJ Child Support Guidelines is contained in Rule 5:6A of the New Jersey Court Rules.
NJKiDS (New Jersey Kids Deserve Support) NJKiDS is the New Jersey Child Support automated computer system that tracks child support accounts.
Non-Custodial Parent The non-custodial parent is the parent with whom the child(ren) do not live with most of the time.
Obligor/Payor An obligor, also called a payor, is the person ordered by the court to pay support. This person is also known as the non-custodial parent (NCP).
Obligee/Payee An obligee, also called a payee, is the person, agency, or institution who receives support, also known as the custodial parent (CP).
Party - A party is a person, business, or governmental agency involved in a court action.
Petitioner Petitioner is another name for the person starting the court case by filing the papers that the court will consider.
Respondent- A respondent, also called a defendant, is the person who is named as the other party in the court action filed by the petitioner. This person can respond to the complaint by filing a cross application or written response with the court.
Relief - To ask for relief is to ask the court to order something. This could include custody, parenting time, or support.
Support Obligation - The support obligation is the amount of support that the court orders the obligor to pay. The court order includes how much and how often support must be paid, such as weekly or monthly.
Child Support Enforcement The Child Support Enforcement Unit makes sure that court orders are carried out. This could include court orders for the payment of child support, health care coverage, or spousal support. If support is not being paid on time, the Child Support Enforcement has many state and federal tools available to enforce child support orders. These can include