ORS 25.527: Motions to modify orders; service; temporary suspension of order during period of significant unemployment.

(1) Any time child support services are being provided under ORS 25.080, the obligor, the obligee, the party holding the support rights or the administrator may move for the existing order to be modified under this section. The motion must be in writing in a form prescribed by the administrator, must set out the reasons for modification and must state the address of the party requesting modification. (2) The moving party shall state in the motion, to the extent known: (a) Whether there is pending in this state or any other jurisdiction any type of support proceeding involving the dependent child, including a proceeding brought under ORS 25.287, 25.511, 107.085, 107.135, 107.431, 108.110, 109.100, 109.103, 109.158, 125.025 or 419B.400 or ORS chapter 110; and (b) Whether there exists in this state or any other jurisdiction a support order, as defined in ORS 110.503, involving the dependent child, other than the order the party is moving to modify. (3) The moving party shall include with the motion a certificate regarding any pending support proceeding and any existing support order other than the order the party is moving to modify. The party shall use a certificate that is in a form prescribed by the administrator and include information required by the administrator and subsection (2) of this section. (4)(a) The moving party shall serve the motion upon the obligor, the obligee, the party holding the support rights and the administrator, as appropriate. The nonrequesting parties must be served in the same manner as provided for service of the notice and proposed order under ORS 25.511 (1)(a). Notwithstanding ORS 25.085, the requesting party must be served by regular first class mail to the requesting party’s last-known address or, if authorized by the requesting party, by electronic mail or other electronic delivery method as described by the administrator by rule. (b) The nonrequesting parties have 30 days to resolve the matter by stipulated agreement or to serve the moving party with a written response setting forth any objections to the motion and a request for hearing. Service under this paragraph to the moving party must be by regular first class mail or, if authorized by the moving party, by electronic mail or other electronic delivery method as described by the administrator by rule. (c) The hearing shall be conducted under ORS 25.513. (5) When the moving party is other than the administrator and no objections and request for hearing have been served within 30 days, the moving party may submit a true copy of the motion to the administrative law judge as provided in ORS 25.513, except the default may not be construed to be a contested case as defined in ORS chapter 183. Upon proof of service, the administrative law judge shall issue an order granting the relief sought. (6) When the moving party is the administrator and no objections and request for hearing have been served within 30 days, the administrator may enter an order granting the relief sought. (7) A motion for modification made under this section does not stay the administrator from enforcing and collecting upon the existing order unless so ordered by the court in which the order is entered. (8) An administrative order filed in accordance with ORS 25.529 is a final judgment as to any installment or payment of money that has accrued up to the time the nonrequesting party is served with a motion to set aside, alter or modify the judgment. The administrator may not set aside, alter or modify any portion of the judgment that provides for any payment of money for minor children that has accrued before the motion is served. However: (a) The administrator may allow a credit against child support arrearages for periods of time, excluding reasonable parenting time unless otherwise provided by order or judgment, during which the obligor, with the knowledge and consent of the obligee or pursuant to court order, has physical custody of the child; and (b) The administrator may allow a credit against child support arrearages for any Social Security or veterans’ benefits paid retroactively to the child, or to a representative payee administering the funds for the child’s use and benefit, as a result of a parent’s disability or retirement. (9) The party requesting modification has the burden of showing a substantial change of circumstances or that a modification is appropriate under the provisions of ORS 25.287. (10) The obligee is a party to all proceedings under this section. (11)(a) Notwithstanding subsections (1) to (10) of this section, any time child support services are being provided under ORS 25.080, upon request of a party to a support order or judgment or on the administrator’s own motion, the administrator may move to suspend the order or judgment and issue a temporary modification order under this subsection when: (A) There is a period of significant unemployment as that term is described in paragraph (b) of this subsection; and (B) A party to the support order or judgment experiences an employment-related change of income as defined by rule in ORS 25.505. (b) Proceedings under this subsection may be initiated only when there is a period of significant unemployment in Oregon. The Attorney General shall determine when a “period of significant unemployment” exists in Oregon and designate the beginning and ending dates thereof. In making the determination of when a period of significant unemployment exists in Oregon, the Attorney General may consider whether there is in effect an “extended benefit period” as that term is defined in ORS 657.321. (c) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the provisions of subsections (1) to (10) of this section apply to a motion for an order of suspension and temporary modification under this subsection. (d) A party’s employment-related change of income during a period of significant unemployment is considered a substantial change of circumstances for purposes of proceedings brought under this section. (e) The motion for an order of suspension and temporary modification must be in writing and must include, but need not be limited to: (A) The amount of the existing support order or judgment; (B) The amount of the obligor’s and obligee’s income immediately preceding the party’s employment-related change of income, if known; (C) The reason for the party’s employment-related change of income; (D) How the party’s employment-related change of income affects the party’s employment status, income and, if applicable, ability to pay support; (E) The obligor’s and the obligee’s current sources of income, if known; (F) The proposed amount of the temporary modification order; (G) A statement that if a party objects to the motion for an order of suspension and temporary modification, then the party may request a hearing within 14 days of service of the motion as provided in paragraph (g) of this subsection; (H) A statement that the preexisting support order or judgment will be reinstated as provided in paragraph (h) of this subsection; and (I) A statement that a party may request a renewal of the order of suspension and temporary modification prior to its expiration as provided in paragraph (j) of this subsection. (f) The administrator shall serve the motion filed under this subsection upon the parties. Unless a party signs a form agreeing to accept service, the administrator shall serve the motion by regular first class mail or facsimile or, if authorized by the party, by electronic mail or other electronic delivery method described by the administrator by rule. (g) A party may request a hearing within 14 days of service of the motion. If a hearing is requested, the provisions of ORS 25.513 apply. When there has been no request for hearing, the administrator may enter an order of suspension and temporary modification under this subsection. The order must be consistent with the provisions of the motion filed under this subsection and be in substantial compliance with the formula established under ORS 25.275. (h) An order of suspension and temporary modification issued under this subsection is temporary and remains in effect for six months from the date the order is filed under ORS 25.529 or until the date specified in the notice provided under paragraph (i) of this subsection informing of the party’s reemployment, whichever is earlier, at which time the preexisting support order or judgment becomes immediately effective and payable on the first day of the following month unless an order of renewal is issued under paragraph (j) of this subsection. (i) The administrator may issue a notice of reinstatement at any time during which an order of suspension and temporary modification is in effect under this subsection when a party obtains employment and receives income that is sufficient to reinstate support in an amount substantially similar to the amount in the preexisting support order or judgment. The notice shall be served as provided in paragraph (f) of this subsection and must state that, unless a request for hearing is received within 14 days of service of the notice, the administrator will enter an order terminating the order of suspension and temporary modification and reinstating the amount of the preexisting support order or judgment effective on a date to be specified in the notice. If a hearing is requested, the provisions of ORS 25.513 apply. When there is no request for hearing, the administrator may enter an order terminating the order of suspension and temporary modification and reinstating the preexisting support order or judgment effective upon the date specified in the notice. (j) Prior to expiration of an order of suspension and temporary modification under this subsection and upon request of a party, the administrator may renew the order of suspension and temporary modification for additional six-month periods or until the party obtains employment as described in paragraph (i) of this subsection, whichever occurs first, if the circumstances under which the order was originally issued continue to exist unchanged. [Formerly 416.425; 2021 c.500 §2; 2021 c.597 §54; 2025 c.99 §37]