Department of Social & Health Services v. Handy

At issue in this case is the relationship

between Office of Support Enforcement (OSE) administrative support orders, pursuant to RCW 74.20A, and superior court support orders, pursuant to RCW 26.09. RCW 74.20A establishes a comprehensive framework for the administrative establishment of parental support obligations independent of the judicial process. There is a potential overlap when the superior court is called upon to establish child support in a dissolution proceeding. The controlling statutory provision is RCW 74.20A.055 which states in part:(1) The secretary may, in the absence of a…