§ 19-11-184.2.Contest of registered convention support order
Chapter 11. Enforcement of Duty of Support · Article 3. Uniform Interstate Family Support Act · Part 7. Determination of Parentage · Last amended 2013 · Last verified October 9, 2026
Full Text of § 19-11-184.2
Plain-English Summary
Once a convention support order is registered under § 19-11-184.1, the other party may contest it. The general contest procedures in Code Sections 19-11-164 through 19-11-167 apply — notice, a hearing on request, and confirmation — except where this section says otherwise. The biggest difference is time. For an ordinary registered order, § 19-11-164 gives 20 days after notice to request a hearing, but it carves out orders under this section. Here, the contesting party must file a contest not later than 30 days after notice of the registration, or not later than 60 days after notice if the contesting party does not reside in the United States.
If the nonregistering party misses that deadline, the order is enforceable. Section 19-11-167, which applies through subsection (a), adds that a confirmed registered order can’t be contested later on any matter that could have been raised at registration.
The grounds are narrow. A contest may rest only on the grounds listed in § 19-11-184.3, and the contesting party bears the burden of proof. The Georgia tribunal is bound by the findings of fact on which the foreign tribunal based its jurisdiction, and it may not review the merits of the order. In other words, a contest is not a second trial on how much support is fair.
The tribunal deciding a contest shall promptly notify the parties of its decision. And a challenge or appeal, if any, does not stay enforcement of the order unless there are exceptional circumstances — so payments can be collected while the fight goes on. The section took effect July 1, 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to contest a foreign support order registered in Georgia?
For a Hague convention support order, you must file a contest not later than 30 days after notice of the registration. If you don’t live in the United States, the deadline is not later than 60 days after notice. That differs from the 20-day hearing request that § 19-11-164 sets for ordinary registered orders, which expressly excepts orders under this section.
What happens if I miss the deadline to contest a registered convention support order?
The order becomes enforceable. Subsection (c) says that if the nonregistering party fails to contest by the deadline in subsection (b), the order is enforceable. Section 19-11-167, which applies through subsection (a), also bars any later contest of the order on a matter that could have been raised at the time of registration.
Can I argue in Georgia that the foreign support amount is too high?
Not in a contest of registration. Subsection (e) says the Georgia tribunal may not review the merits of the order and is bound by the foreign tribunal’s findings of fact on jurisdiction. A contest may rest only on the grounds in § 19-11-184.3, such as lack of personal jurisdiction, procedural fraud, lack of notice or payment. Changing the amount is a modification question, which § 19-11-184.6 limits.
Who has to prove what when a convention support order is contested?
The contesting party bears the burden of proof under subsection (d), and may rely only on the grounds listed in § 19-11-184.3. The Georgia tribunal must accept the findings of fact on which the foreign tribunal based its jurisdiction, so the contesting party can’t relitigate those facts in Georgia.
Does an appeal stop enforcement of a foreign support order in Georgia?
Generally no. Subsection (g) says a challenge or appeal, if any, does not stay the enforcement of a convention support order unless there are exceptional circumstances. Whether circumstances are exceptional is for the tribunal to decide. Without that finding, support can be enforced while the challenge or appeal goes forward.
Amendment History
Laws 2013, Act 224, § 1, eff. July 1, 2013.