Legal Definitions - URESA

URESA stands for the Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act.

URESA was a groundbreaking law designed to help states cooperate in enforcing child support and spousal support orders when the parents or former spouses lived in different states. Before URESA, it was very difficult to collect court-ordered support payments if the person obligated to pay moved across state lines. URESA provided a legal framework that allowed a support order issued in one state to be recognized and enforced in another state, preventing individuals from evading their financial responsibilities simply by relocating. While URESA has largely been replaced by the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA), it laid the foundation for modern interstate support enforcement.

• Example 1: Child Support Across State Lines

  Imagine Maria lives in California with her children, and a California court ordered her ex-husband, David, to pay child support. David then moves to Arizona and stops making payments. Under the URESA framework (when it was in effect), Maria could initiate an enforcement action in California. California authorities would then transmit the support order to Arizona, and Arizona courts would assist in enforcing the order against David, ensuring he fulfilled his financial obligations to his children despite living in a different state.

• Example 2: Spousal Support Enforcement

  Consider Sarah, who lives in New York and is owed spousal support by her ex-husband, Mark, who resides in Florida. Mark has fallen significantly behind on his payments. Sarah could utilize the URESA system to have the New York spousal support order sent to Florida. Florida courts would then have the legal authority to compel Mark to pay the overdue support, potentially through methods like wage garnishment or liens on property, based on the original New York court order.