Knudson v. Utah State Department of Social Services

OAKS, Justice:

When the Legislature adopted the Public Support of Children Act in 1975, it sought to augment public and private remedies against parents who neglected to support their minor children. See U.C.A., 1953, § 78-45b-l, et seq. The Act provided an administrative mechanism to collect support debts based on court orders, § 78-45b-4, and, in the absence of a court order, it provided an administrative proceeding (subject to judicial review) to fix parental liability to reimburse the state for amounts paid as public assistance to minor children. § 78 — 45b-5 and -6. This appeal is the…