Accountability Court- A Problem Solving Approach To Support Enforcement

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2009

Non-Compliance Court, commonly referred to as “Accountability Court”, was created under the authority of the Maricopa County Administration for the purpose of monitoring and enforcing support orders (both child and spousal) resulting from repeated violations or accumulation of debts. A case is eligible if all support arrearage amounts have been reduced to a formal written judgment after review by a judicial officer. Cases can be referred to the Accountability Court in two ways: referral by a judicial officer or an Affidavit of Non-Compliance. Both methods order the obligor to appear in court, and if such a requirement is not met, the filing of contempt, issuance of an arrest warrant, or entry of a judgment can occur. Obligors in the Accountability Court appear once a month during the first phase of their involvement with the program, and they continue to appear in court until all arrears are paid in full and a consistent pattern of support orders has been established. As the obligors move through the program, exhibiting compliance with the court, they are rewarded with less frequent appearances and preference on the court calendar. The program begins with the obligors observing court proceedings. They then report to an orientation session that describes the goals, objectives, incentives, and expectations of the Accountability Court program. Most importantly, the obligors are given charts illustrating the length of time it would take them to pay off their arrears and what their payments must amount to in order to rid themselves of their debt. This is a powerful motivator for obligors to find ways to increase their support payments. Because of the economic downturn, many people (especially single parents) are struggling to meet necessary financial demands. The Accountability Court provides parents and ex-spouses with a means to keep their financial obligors accountable for both past and future support payments.