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If you have an existing support order and wish to use our services, you must first fill out the COURT TRUSTEE APPLICATION.
What does the Court Trustee do?
The Court Trustee office is authorized by law to handle matters related to child support and maintenance support orders issued in Douglas County, Kansas. The office also has a contract with the Office of Judicial Administration to collect court debt.
What kind of matters can this office assist with?
The office can help with the following matters:
- Enforcement of child and maintenance support orders
- Modification of child support orders
- Notice to the parties of modification due to emancipation
- Monitoring and review of child support orders for possibility of modification
- Location of residence and employment of parent owing support
- Establishment of child support orders where paternity has previously been established by court order or in cases where no order for support was entered in the final divorce decree
- Assign mediators with Douglas County Domestic Mediation Services
- The collection of Court ordered debts in criminal cases and traffic cases that have been referred to the office.
Why should I use the District Court Trustee's services?
Customer Service is our specialty. The Court Trustee is a local office where you receive personal attention. An attorney and paralegal are assigned to your case. You can call and speak with them directly when you have a question. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH A CALL CENTER. You can drop in at the Court Trustee's office at your convenience without an appointment and speak with staff.
Because we are a local office dedicated to serving the citizens of Douglas County, staff will respond timely to changes in your lives and your child’s life. Support enforcement and modification matters are heard by a Pro Tem Judge in the Juvenile Division which was established to provide an expedited process.
Closing your case with the Department for Children and Families (DCF)
If your case is currently being enforced by the Kansas Department for Children and Families - Child Support Services (DCF), and you wish to use the Court Trustee services, you must first close your case with DCF. If you receive certain services, YoungWilliams, the contractor for the DCF, automatically enforces your Douglas County child support case. These services include cash assistance (TANF), foster care, child care assistance, food assistance, and family medical assistance. When you stop receiving these services, the DCF contractor will continue to enforce your child support case unless you request case closure. If you are no longer receiving services, and you prefer to use the enforcement services of the Court Trustee, you can make a request in writing to DCF to close your case. Here is a letter you can use. Upon receiving your letter, DCF will have a Notice of Termination of Assignment filed with the court. Once that notice is filed, the Court Trustee can start enforcing your child support case.
Please contact the Court Trustee regarding your individual situation BEFORE deciding to close your DCF child support enforcement case.