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If the law is on your side, pound the law. If the facts are on your side, pound the facts. If neither the law nor the facts are on your side, pound the table.
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Legal Definitions - intercept
Definition of intercept
The term intercept has two primary meanings in a legal context, both as a noun and a verb.
As a noun, an intercept refers to a legal mechanism or process by which funds, payments, or communications intended for one party are redirected or captured by another party, often to satisfy a legal obligation or for investigative purposes.
As a verb, to intercept means to legally divert money or payments from their intended recipient to fulfill a financial obligation. It can also mean to covertly monitor, capture, or listen to a communication, such as a phone call or electronic message, often under a court order by law enforcement agencies.
Example 1: Diverting a Tax Refund for Unpaid Debts
Imagine a situation where an individual owes a significant amount in overdue student loan payments to the government. When this individual files their annual income tax return, they are due a substantial refund. However, because of the outstanding debt, the government's financial agencies are legally authorized to intercept that tax refund.
How this illustrates "intercept": Instead of the refund being sent directly to the individual, it is diverted and applied towards their unpaid student loan balance, satisfying a portion of their financial obligation before they ever receive the funds.
Example 2: Redirecting Wages for Child Support
Consider a parent who has a court order to pay child support but has fallen behind on their payments. If this parent starts a new job, a child support enforcement agency might obtain a court order to intercept a portion of their regular wages directly from their employer.
How this illustrates "intercept": Each pay period, a specific amount of the parent's earnings is automatically sent to the child support agency, rather than being included in the parent's take-home pay, ensuring the past-due support obligations are met.
Example 3: Law Enforcement Monitoring Communications
In a complex criminal investigation involving organized crime, law enforcement agencies may obtain a warrant from a judge allowing them to monitor the phone calls and text messages of a suspect. The police then set up systems to intercept these communications.
How this illustrates "intercept": The police covertly capture and record the suspect's conversations and messages as they occur, without the suspect's knowledge, to gather evidence relevant to the criminal activity.
Simple Definition
An "intercept" in family law refers to a mechanism that automatically diverts funds, such as unemployment benefits or tax refunds, from an individual to a child-support agency to satisfy past-due support obligations. More generally, to "intercept" means to divert money from its intended recipient to fulfill a financial obligation. The term can also describe the covert reception or listening to a communication, typically by law enforcement.