Section 454.517

Title XXX DOMESTIC RELATIONS

Chapter 454

Effective - 28 Aug 2010   

  454.517.  Lien on workers' compensation, when, procedure — notice, contents — enforcement of lien — duties of director of workers' compensation — mistake of fact. — 1.  The director, IV-D agency or the obligee may cause a lien for unpaid and delinquent child or spousal support to be placed upon any workers' compensation benefits payable to an obligor delinquent in child or spousal support payments.

  2.  No such lien shall be effective unless and until a written notice is filed with the director of the division of workers' compensation.  The notice shall contain the name and address of the delinquent obligor, the Social Security number of the obligor, if known, the name of the obligee, and the amount of delinquent child or spousal support.

  3.  Notice of lien shall not be filed unless the delinquent child or spousal support obligation exceeds one hundred dollars.

  4.  Any person or persons, firm or firms, corporation or corporations, including an insurance carrier, making any payment of workers' compensation benefits to such obligor or to such obligor's attorneys, heirs or legal representative, after receipt of such notice, as defined in subsection 5 of this section, shall be liable to the obligee or, if support has been assigned pursuant to subsection 2 of section 208.040, to the state or IV-D agency in an amount equal to the lesser of the workers' compensation benefits paid or delinquent child or spousal support.  In such event, the lien may be enforced by a suit at law against any person or persons, firm or firms, corporation or corporations making the workers' compensation benefit payment.

  5.  Upon the filing of a notice pursuant to this section, the director of the division of workers' compensation shall mail to the obligor and to all attorneys and insurance carriers of record, a copy of the notice.  The obligor, attorneys and insurance carriers shall be deemed to have received the notice within five days of the mailing of the notice by the director of the division of workers' compensation.  The lien described in this section shall attach to all workers' compensation benefits which are thereafter payable.

  6.  A notice issued by the IV-D agency of this state shall advise the obligor of the procedures to contest the lien under section 454.475 on the grounds that such lien is improper due to a mistake of fact by requesting a hearing within thirty days of the mailing date of the notice.  At such a hearing the certified copy of the court order and the sworn or certified statement of arrearages shall constitute prima facie evidence that the director's order is valid and enforceable.  If a prima facie case is established, the obligor may only assert mistake of fact as a defense.  For purposes of this section, "mistake of fact" means an error in the amount of the overdue support or an error as to the identity of the obligor.  The obligor shall have the burden of proof on such issues.

  7.  In cases which are not IV-D cases, to cause a lien pursuant to the provisions of this section the obligee or the obligor's attorney shall file notice of the lien with the lienholder or payor.  This notice shall have attached a certified copy of the court order with all modifications and a sworn statement by the obligee or a certified statement from the court attesting to or certifying the amount of arrearages.

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(L. 1986 H.B. 1479, A.L. 1993 S.B. 253, A.L. 1997 S.B. 361, A.L. 2010 H.B. 1692, et al.)