SB237 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Merika ColemanSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Child support, retroactivity provided for in certain circumstances

Summary

The bill allows certain child-support orders issued within the first year after birth to be retroactive to nine months before birth.

What This Bill Does

If a court issues a child-support order within the first year after birth, the order would apply retroactively to nine months before birth. It also limits past-due support to two years prior to when enforcement begins, unless there was a prior support order. The act becomes effective on October 1, 2024.

Who It Affects

• Parents and alleged fathers involved in paternity and child-support cases, who may see retroactive support obligations from nine months before birth for early orders.
• Alabama child-support enforcement agencies and the courts, which will apply the retroactive rule and the two-year lookback limit when calculating and enforcing child-support orders.

Key Provisions

• Retroactive treatment: any child-support order entered within the first year after birth must be retroactive to nine months before birth.
• Past-due limit: a party's liability for past support is limited to the two years immediately before enforcement, unless there was a prior order.
• Effective date: the act takes effect on October 1, 2024.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Family Law