§ 15-23.1-101 - Definitions.
SECTION 15-23.1-101
§ 15-23.1-101 Definitions. – In this chapter:
(1) "Child" means an individual, whether over or under theage of majority, who is or is alleged to be owed a duty of support by theindividual's parent or who is or is alleged to be the beneficiary of a supportorder directed to the parent.
(2) "Child support order" means a support order for a child,including a child who has attained the age of majority under the law of theissuing state.
(3) "Duty of support" means an obligation imposed orimposable by law to provide support for a child, spouse, or former spouse,including an unsatisfied obligation to provide support.
(4) "Home state" means the state in which a child lived witha parent or a person acting as parent for at least six (6) consecutive monthsimmediately preceding the time of filing of a petition or comparable pleadingfor support and, if a child is less than six (6) months old, the state in whichthe child lived from birth with any of them. A period of temporary absence ofany of them is counted as part of the six (6) month or other period.
(5) "Income" includes earnings or other periodic entitlementsto money from any source and any other property subject to withholding forsupport under the law of this state.
(6) "Income-withholding order" means an order or other legalprocess directed to an obligor's employer or other debtor, as defined by §15-16-1 et seq., to withhold support from the income of the obligor.
(7) "Initiating state" means a state from which a proceedingis forwarded or in which a proceeding is filed for forwarding to respondingstate under this chapter or a law or procedure substantially similar to thischapter.
(8) "Initiating tribunal" means the authorized tribunal in aninitiating state.
(9) "Issuing state" means the state in which a tribunalissues a support order or renders a judgment determining parentage.
(10) "Issuing tribunal" means the tribunal that issues asupport order or renders a judgment determining parentage.
(11) "Law" includes decisional and statutory law and rulesand regulations having the force of law.
(12) "Obligee" means:
(i) An individual to whom a duty of support is or is allegedto be owed or in whose favor a support order has been issued or a judgmentdetermining parentage has been rendered;
(ii) A state or political subdivision to which the rightsunder a duty of support or support order have been assigned or which hasindependent claims based on financial assistance provided to an individualobligee; or
(iii) An individual seeking a judgment determining parentageof the individual's child.
(13) "Obligor" means an individual, or the estate of adecedent:
(i) Who owes or is alleged to owe a duty of support;
(ii) Who is alleged but has not been adjudicated to be aparent of a child; or
(iii) Who is liable under a support order.
(14) "Person" means an individual, corporation, businesstrust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association,joint venture, government, governmental subdivision, agency, orinstrumentality, public corporation, or any other legal or commercial entity.
(15) "Record" means information that is inscribed on atangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and isretrievable in perceivable form.
(16) "Register" means to file a support order or judgmentdetermining parentage in the registry of the Rhode Island family court.
(17) "Registering tribunal" means a tribunal in which asupport order is registered.
(18) "Responding state" means a state in which a proceedingis filed or to which a proceeding is forwarded for filing from an initiatingstate under this chapter or a law substantially similar to this chapter.
(19) "Responding tribunal" means the authorized tribunal in aresponding state.
(20) "Spousal-support order" means a support order for aspouse or former spouse of the obligor.
(21) "State" means a state of the United States, the Districtof Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory orinsular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. The termincludes:
(i) An Indian tribe; and
(ii) A foreign country or political subdivision that:
(a) Has been declared to be a foreign reciprocating countryor political subdivision under federal law;
(b) Has established a reciprocal arrangement for childsupport with this state as provided in section 15-23.1-308; or
(c) Has enacted a law or established procedures for issuanceand enforcement of support orders which are substantially similar to theprocedures under this chapter.
(22) "Support enforcement agency" means a public official oragency authorized to seek:
(i) Enforcement of support orders or laws relating to theduty of support;
(ii) Establishment or modification of child support;
(iii) Determination of parentage;
(iv) Location of obligors or their assets; or
(v) Determination of the controlling child support order.
(23) "Support order" means a judgment, decree, order, ordirective, whether temporary, final, or subject to modification, issued by atribunal for the benefit of a child, a spouse, or a former spouse, whichprovides for monetary support, health care, arrearages, or reimbursement, andmay include related costs and fees, interest, income withholding, attorney'sfees, and other relief.
(24) "Tribunal" means a court, administrative agency, orquasi-judicial entity authorized to establish, enforce, or modify supportorders or to determine parentage.