§ 19-11-173.Filing requirement for modified order
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 § 19-11-173
Plain-English Summary
When a child support order is modified across state lines, the old courts need to know. This section puts that job on the party who obtained the modification. Within 30 days after a modified child support order is issued, that party shall file a certified copy of the new order with the issuing tribunal that had continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over the earlier order, and in each tribunal in which the party knows the earlier order was registered.
The duty reaches only the registrations the party knows about. Failing to file has consequences for the party, not the order. A party who obtains the order and doesn’t file a certified copy is subject to appropriate sanctions by any tribunal in which the failure comes up. But the failure doesn’t affect the validity or enforceability of the modified order of the new tribunal with continuing, exclusive jurisdiction. The modification stands either way.
The filing rule keeps courts from enforcing an outdated order. Under § 19-11-171, a Georgia tribunal whose order was modified elsewhere may still enforce it only as to arrears and interest that accrued before the modification. A similar 30-day filing rule applies, under § 19-11-116, to a party who obtains an order determining which of several support orders controls. The section was last amended in 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to file a modified child support order with the original court?
Yes, if you obtained the modification. Within 30 days after issuance of a modified child support order, the party obtaining the modification shall file a certified copy with the issuing tribunal that had continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over the earlier order, and in each tribunal where the party knows the earlier order was registered.
What happens if I don’t file a copy of the modified support order with the old court?
You may face sanctions, but the order stays valid. A party who obtains the order and fails to file a certified copy is subject to appropriate sanctions by a tribunal in which the issue of failure to file arises. The failure does not affect the validity or enforceability of the modified order of the new tribunal with continuing, exclusive jurisdiction.
How long do I have to file a modified child support order in other states?
Thirty days after the modified child support order is issued. The certified copy goes to the issuing tribunal that had continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over the earlier order and to each tribunal where you know the earlier order was registered.
Is a modified child support order valid if it wasn’t filed with the original state?
Yes. This section says the failure to file does not affect the validity or enforceability of the modified order of the new tribunal having continuing, exclusive jurisdiction. The party who didn’t file may, however, be subject to appropriate sanctions.
Does the modified order have to be filed everywhere the old order was registered?
Everywhere the party knows the earlier order was registered. The section requires filing in each tribunal in which the party knows the earlier order has been registered, along with the issuing tribunal that had continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over it. The copy must be certified.
Amendment History
Laws 1997, p. 1613, § 33; Laws 2013, Act 224, § 1, eff. July 1, 2013.