The short answer to this question is yes. However, the process to modify an out of state child support order in Georgia is slightly different that the process associated with modifying an instate child support order.
The section of Georgia law that governs the modification of out of state child support orders is different than the section of Georgia law that governs actions to modify child support orders entered in Georgia. According to the relevant sections of Georgia law:
A party or support enforcement agency seeking to modify, or to modify and enforce, a child support order issued in another state shall register that order in Georgia in the same manner provided in Code Sections 19-11-160 through 19-11-163 if the order has not been registered. A petition for modification may be filed at the same time as a request for registration, or later. The pleading must specify the grounds for modification.
O.C.G.A. § 19-11-168.
Any parent seeking to register an out of state child support order in Georgia must send the following documents and information to the appropriate court:
- A letter of transmittal to the tribunal requesting registration and enforcement;
- Two copies, including one certified copy, of all orders to be registered, including any modification of an order;
- A sworn statement by the party seeking registration or a certified statement by the custodian of the records showing the amount of any arrearage;
- The name of the obligor and, if known:
- The obligor’s address and social security number;
- The name and address of the obligor’s employer and any other source of income of the obligor; and
- A description and the location of property of the obligor in Georgia not exempt from execution; and
- The name and address of the obligee and, if applicable, the agency or person to whom support payments are to be remitted.
O.C.G.A. § 19-11-161. See also O.C.G.A. § 19-11-160 and 19-11-162. Once the appropriate court receives the request for registration, the court will file the order as a foreign judgment. Id. Only once the foreign order has been registered may a Georgia court then modify or enforce that order. Because registering an out of state child support order in Georgia is a complex legal matter, it is advisable to seek the help of an experienced Georgia family law attorney to do so.