Over 90% of all child support hearings are being held in-person in both Washington and St. Tammany parishes. If your hearing will be handled in a manner other than an in-person hearing you will be notified by the District Attorney’s office. 

District Attorney Child Support Services Offered

Our office contracts with the State of Louisiana (Department of Children and Family Services) to provide child support enforcement services to our constituents in Washington and St. Tammany parishes.  The services our office provides are limited by the Code of Federal Regulations, Louisiana law, and federal/state policies.  Click here for more information.

District Attorney’s Role in Child Support Proceedings

The Assistant District Attorneys in our Child Support Division represents the State of Louisiana in all child support hearings.  Our Child Support Division cannot handle any matters other than the establishment, enforcement, and modification of child support.  We can also enforce spousal support arrears in some instances.

How to Proceed in Family Law Matters Other Than Child Support 

Divorces, disputes regarding community property, and issues concerning visitation/custody of children must all be handled in Family Court. The District Attorney’s office cannot be involved in any of those issues.  In order to have these issues considered by the court, you must retain the services of a private attorney or file as a self-represented litigant. The 22^nd Judicial District Court website provides directions and forms if you are representing yourself in these matters.

Self Representation is when a person goes to court without being represented by a lawyer or “pro se”. (Pro se is a Latin term that means “for oneself”.)  While you have the right to represent yourself, it is a good idea to have a lawyer advise you. Click here for self-representation. You’ll need to download forms. All forms are formatted for legal size paper and must be submitted to the court on legal size paper. Click here for those forms.

How to Apply 

To apply for child support services, please click here to utilize the resources on the DCFS website which allows you to apply online.

If you do not have access to the internet to utilize the online application process, you may print the application from our website forms section, complete, attach all required documents and then mail it to the appropriate Child Support office.  (Washington Parish/Child Support Division:  906 Pearl Street, Franklinton, LA  70438; St. Tammany Parish/Child Support Division:  701 N. Columbia Street, Covington, LA  70433).

For questions regarding your child support application, please contact our Child Support Division at 985-839-6303 (Washington Parish) or 985-809-8380 (St. Tammany Parish).

How to Pay Yout Child Support

DCFS offers many options for payment of your child support obligation.  Over 95% of all child support payments are made through income assignment to employers; however, if an income assignment has been suspended in your case or you are working for cash, you will need to utilize additional payment methods to make your payment to avoid enforcement actions. For child support schedule information click here.

Calculate Child Support

Child support obligations are calculated in Louisiana by mandatory use of the statutorily enacted child support guidelines.  The guidelines utilize a shared income model that requires the use of actual income or imputation of income to both parents in most cases.  You can access here the child support schedule for the state of Louisiana and the Obligation Worksheet A.

Information for Employers Withholding Child Support Payments 

95% of all child support payments are received through income assignment.  For employers with questions about the process please click here.

Our office encourages you to take advantage of UptoParents, an award-winning website that provides FREE help for divorced or never-married parents who are attempting to co-parent.  UptoParents received the “Attorney as Problem-Solver Award” from the American Bar Association, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts “Irwin Cantor Innovative Program Award” and the “Children’s Champion Award” from the Academy of Professional Family Mediators.