COVID 19 UPDATES

Update August 1, 2020

Child Support Contempt docket is back up and running both at the courthouse and at the Expo Center. Please plan on attending all of your assigned court dates.  Failure to appear at court will result in a bench warrant being issued for your arrest unless you have called our office and have been excused from your appearance.   While we are working from home most days, we continue to be available by phone during all normal business hours. 

Update July 7, 2020

NEW PUBLIC OFFICE HOURS

Our office will continue to be available by phone 8 am until 4:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8 A.M. until 4:00 PM on Fridays

THE PUBLIC WILL ONLY BE ALLOWED IN THE OFFICE BY APPOINTMENT OR DURING THE FOLLOWING DAYS/TIMES:

We will accept all forms of payment in our office on

Wednesdays from 10 A.M. until 2 P.M. and

Fridays from 10 A.M. until 2 P.M.

We will provide you a receipt at the time of payment.

Outside of these times you can pay by credit/debit card over the phone, or if you wish to make an appointment with someone in our office please call (785)235-0400. You can also slide your payment under the door and we will mail you a receipt. Please make sure to provide your name and case number in order to be given proper credit for your payment. Payments without this information will not be processed.

OR

You can pay with cash, check or money order at any KPC PayNear Me station. Instructions and locations for Pay Near Me stations can be found at

www.kspaycenter.com/pay_support-1.aspx

Update April 9, 2020:

Here are some answers to the most common questions we are getting regarding the Stimulus payments and common situations caused by COVID-19. The topics covered in this section are $1200 adult stimulus checks, $500 per child stimulus checks, Modification of current support due to loss of job and Loss of health insurance We will update this section as often as needed.

Q: I have read/heard that my ex's stimulus check can be taken and given to me if he/she is behind on child support. Are you doing this?

A: Just as we are not able to intercept Federal tax refunds, we are also not able to intercept the Federal Stimulus payment for child support. However, we do have other ways of potentially getting these funds. Call our office and speak with your caseworker about this.

Q: I have been laid off/furloughed/let go and I am applying for unemployment. When will you be lowering my support because of this?

A: We will not be modifying anyone's support based on this or any other reason. Our office does not get involved in modifications and your current child support will not change without putting it before the Court to get an order modifying your current child support. If you would like to request a review of your current support amount, you will need to file the appropriate motion with the Court. Further information regarding this can be found in the Helpful Links section at the bottom of this page and in the Frequently Asked Question on our Blog page. Just click on the link that says "Blog" at the top of this page.

Q: My ex claimed the child(ren) in 2018 and I claimed them in 2019. Who will get the $500 Stimulus payment for the child(ren)?

A: You will need to consult your tax advisor or attorney for the answer to this question. We are unable to answer this question for you.

Q: My ex carried health insurance for my child(ren) and they lost their coverage because my ex is not working. What is your office doing about that? What should I do about that?

A: Our role as the District Court Trustee does not involve health insurance coverage for the children so we are unable to do anything about that and unfortunately with this pandemic and many losing their jobs, at least temporarily, it is very possible that health insurance for your children may be affected. If you should find yourself in this situation, some things you can do are: Consult with your attorney as to options, check with your job (if you are still working) to find out what your options are and/or contact the State of Kansas and/or the Health Insurance Marketplace to find out all of the options available to you during this time.

COVID-19 update, March 25:

Child support payments, unemployment and new job options:

We realize that there are several businesses temporarily closed and lots of people out of work. However, there are also new jobs being created which desperately need to be filled during this time. You can find an ongoing updated list of places hiring here: https://www.wibw.com/…/Businesses-hiring-in-NE-Kansas-56908…

Also, many of you will qualify for unemployment. When you get your unemployment payment each week we STRONGLY encourage you to continue making payments because this is a debt that will continue to grow. It will never go away until it is completely paid in full. You can call our office to find out what your weekly payment amount is. We do NOT expect you to pay the entire monthly amount out of one check. We're pretty reasonable like that.

You can be proactive in helping yourself stay on top of support AND help get money to the other parent FOR YOUR CHILDREN which is so desperately needed during these times because many of those parents find themselves out of work too! It is all of our jobs to make sure the children get what they need--It is your job to help make sure YOUR children get what they need. And remember, these payments MUST go through the Kansas Payment Center to be credited to your account.

Call our office with any questions you may have or to report a new job! (785) 235-0400.

COVID-19 Update March 18:

Currently, our office is closed to the public but we are still available by phone. Your payment options include paying by credit/debit card over the phone with our office or paying by credit/debit card online at Kansas Payment Center. Please check back regularly for any updates or changes. You can check the court's status at www.shawneecourt.org