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CAN
THEY DO THAT ?
HUNTING
WRIGHT
& MILLS, P.A.
I WENT TO GET MY
HUNTING LICENSE RENEWED BUT THEY SAID I
COULDN'T GET A LICENSE BECAUSE I'M BEHIND
IN MY CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS. CAN THEY DO
THAT?
Yes,
they can!
If
you are behind in your child support
obligations, the Department of Human
Services may send you a notice telling you
that they intend to submit your name to a
board or agency which is authorized to
issue a license to you.
You
may ask for a hearing before the
Department of Human Services, arguing that
you are not required to pay child support
for some particular reason. But if you do
not request a hearing, or if you lose at
the hearing, then you have to pay the
child support that is ordered by the
Department of Human Services, unless you
work out some payment arrangement with
them.
Failing
to pay the child support ordered may
result in your losing a professional
license, if you have one, your driver's
license and even your hunting or fishing
license.
Keep
in mind, giving money directly to your
children or to their custodial parent does
not generally count as child support.
Buying birthday presents for the kids or
clothes for school does not constitute
child support either. Child support
payments should be made through DHS
directly, or by payroll deduction, so that
all payments are accurately accounted for
and so that you are given full credit for
them.
If
you have a payment arrangement with DHS
and you are not more than ninety days in
arrears, then you will not lose your legal
right to hunt in Maine. But if you have
not been making payments in full,
including providing health insurance for
the children if required, for more than
ninety days, then you risk not being able
to obtain a hunting or fishing license in
Maine.
It's
the law!
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