§ 19-11-165.Contesting the validity of registered support order by nonregistering party
Chapter 11. Enforcement of Duty of Support · Article 3. Uniform Interstate Family Support Act · Part 6. Enforcement and Modification of Support Order After Registration · Last amended 2013 · Last verified October 9, 2026
Full Text of § 19-11-165
Plain-English Summary
This section tells the person who receives a notice of registration what to do about it. A nonregistering party who wants to contest the validity or enforcement of a registered order in Georgia shall request a hearing within the time required by § 19-11-164. For an ordinary registered order, that is within 20 days after notice; a Hague convention order follows the deadlines in § 19-11-184.2.
At the hearing, the nonregistering party may do any of three things: ask to vacate the registration; raise any defense to the claim that he or she hasn’t complied with the order; or contest the remedies being sought or the amount of the alleged arrearages under § 19-11-166. That section lists the eight defenses a contesting party can prove and places the burden of proof on that party.
The consequences of silence are stark. If the nonregistering party fails to contest the validity or enforcement of the registered support order in time, the order is confirmed by operation of law — no hearing and no separate court ruling are needed. Under § 19-11-167, confirmation then bars any further contest of the order on matters that could have been raised at registration.
If the nonregistering party does ask for a hearing, the registering tribunal shall schedule the matter and notify the parties of the date, time, and place. The section was last amended in 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I challenge an out-of-state child support order registered in Georgia?
Request a hearing within the time § 19-11-164 sets — 20 days after notice for an ordinary registered order. At the hearing you may seek to vacate the registration, assert any defense to a claim that you haven’t complied with the order, or contest the remedies sought or the amount of alleged arrearages under § 19-11-166. The tribunal shall schedule the hearing and notify the parties of the date, time and place.
What does confirmed by operation of law mean for a registered support order?
It means the order is confirmed automatically, without a hearing, because the nonregistering party didn’t contest it in time. This section says that if the nonregistering party fails to contest the validity or enforcement of the registered support order in a timely manner, the order is confirmed by operation of law. Under § 19-11-167, confirmation bars later challenges on any matter that could have been raised at registration.
Can I dispute the amount of child support arrears claimed in a registration in Georgia?
Yes, if you ask for a hearing on time. The nonregistering party may contest the remedies being sought or the amount of any alleged arrearages under § 19-11-166. One of the defenses that section lists is full or partial payment, and another is that the statute of limitation under § 19-11-163 bars some or all of the alleged arrears. The contesting party bears the burden of proving the defense.
Will the Georgia court schedule a hearing if I contest a registered support order?
Yes. If a nonregistering party requests a hearing to contest the validity or enforcement of the registered support order, the registering tribunal shall schedule the matter for hearing and give the parties notice of the date, time and place. The request itself must come within the time required by § 19-11-164.
Can I ask a Georgia court to cancel the registration of another state’s support order?
Yes. A nonregistering party may seek to vacate the registration, but must request a hearing within the time required by § 19-11-164. The grounds are the defenses listed in § 19-11-166, such as the issuing tribunal’s lack of personal jurisdiction over the contesting party, fraud, or that the order has been vacated, suspended or modified by a later order.
Amendment History
Laws 1997, p. 1613, § 33; Laws 2013, Act 224, § 1, eff. July 1, 2013.