When a parent ordered to pay child support (the obligor) fails to make the payments (is in arrears), the Office of the Attorney General in your state may take one or more actions to enforce the child support obligation. These enforcement actions may include court action (civil and criminal contempt charges); suspension of the obligor’s driver’s license; reporting the delinquency to credit reporting agencies; denial or suspension of the obligor’s passport privileges; and liens on properties, bank accounts, life insurance plans, retirement plans, personal injury claims, and other assets.

In Arkansas, when a parent fails to pay court-ordered child support, the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), which operates under the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration and works in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General, can take several enforcement actions. These actions include filing for civil or criminal contempt charges, which could lead to fines or imprisonment for the non-paying parent (the obligor). The OCSE can also suspend the obligor's driver's license, professional licenses, and recreational licenses. Additionally, the agency may report the overdue child support to credit bureaus, affecting the obligor's credit score. Passport denial or suspension is another enforcement tool used to prevent the obligor from obtaining or using a passport when support arrears reach a certain threshold. The OCSE can place liens on the obligor's property, bank accounts, and other assets, including life insurance plans, retirement plans, and personal injury claims, to secure payment of the child support arrears.