Application for IV-D Services

Paternity and/or child support establishment services are available through the Friend of the Court office. The process can be started two ways:

• A parent or legal guardian may request services by completing an Application for Services (available in the link above, at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and at the Friend of the Court office) or
• When a child is receiving public assistance, including Medicaid, food assistance, cash assistance, etc., and one or both parents is not living in the same household as the child; the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will request paternity and/or child support establishment. In this circumstance, the custodial party is required to cooperate with the establishment process.

Once the request is made, it is reviewed by a child support specialist at the Office of Child Support, who then makes a referral to the Friend of the Court office in most circumstances. Our child support investigator will open a file and schedule an appointment with both parents to complete the necessary paperwork. At the initial interview, a Circuit Court case will be filed and served on the non-custodial parent, if appropriate.

The time from the initial request for services until a child support order is entered varies depending on the complexity of the case as well as the cooperation of the parties. Once the initial child support order enters, a caseworker is assigned to provide enforcement services as detailed on this website.

View the Friend of the Court Forms & Documents page for information and applications.