En esta noticia
The government of Texas publishes an official list with the names and photographs of parents who evade child support payments ordered by a judge. For those who appear on this registry, the State can seize their bank accounts, properties, and other assets to recover the funds owed.
The measure applies to both U.S. citizens and foreigners residing in Texas who fail to comply with a court order. According to Texas Senate data, parents in the state accumulate approximately US$19 billion in unpaid child support.
Who appears on Texas’s child support evaders list?
The program is administered by the Office of the State Attorney General (OAG) and is backed by state law. To be added to the registry, the debt must exceed US$5,000, there must be an outstanding arrest warrant, and the noncustodial parent cannot be in bankruptcy proceedings or receiving public assistance.
What information is published
The official page includes the name, photograph, number of children, and amount owed for each evader. Some cases record debts of more than US$100,000.
The program also provides a public tip line — 1-866-EVADERS (382-3377) — so anyone can provide information about the whereabouts of the evaders.
What happens to the accounts and assets of someone on the list?
The OAG can place liens on bank accounts, properties, retirement plans, life insurance policies, and other assets if the noncustodial parent fails to pay child support.
The seizure is neither automatic nor immediate: it is activated within a legal process that the OAG handles on a case-by-case basis, using different tools depending on the debtor’s situation.
Other legal consequences
The OAG can also suspend driver’s licenses and more than 60 types of professional licenses, intercept lottery winnings, and block passport renewal.
In the most serious cases, noncompliance can lead to criminal conviction. Failing to pay child support is a felony in Texas, punishable by up to two years in prison and fines of up to US$10,000.