40-5-273. Administrative review of child support orders -- modifying orders. (1) A review application setting forth facts meeting any of the criteria for review of a child support order established in 40-5-272 must be scheduled for an administrative review. Unless the department determines under rules of the department that an in-person review is necessary, the review must be conducted by teleconferencing methods. A notice that an administrative review will be conducted must be served on the obligor and the obligee. The notice must include the following information as an exception to 2-4-601:
     (a) a statement of the purpose, objectives, and possible consequences of the review;
     (b) a statement of the right of the obligor and the obligee to request the department to issue subpoenas compelling the appearance of witnesses and the production of documents for a hearing; and
     (c) a requirement that the obligor and the obligee provide the department with telephone numbers at which they and their witnesses may be contacted for the review.
     (2) The department may issue an order commanding the obligor or the obligee, or both, to produce financial information. The order must be personally served with the notice that a review will be conducted. The department may also issue subpoenas ordering the parties to produce information in their possession about the obligor and the obligee that may be reasonably necessary for application of the guidelines. Any information so obtained by the department must be provided to the parties before a hearing.
     (3) The requested modification of the order must be determined on the evidence submitted to the department under the following conditions:
     (a) If an applicant other than the department fails to provide a telephone number for the review or fails to be at the number provided when telephoned for the review, the failure may be considered a withdrawal of the application.
     (b) If a party other than the applicant fails to provide a telephone number for the review or fails to be at the number provided when telephoned for the review, the failure is considered to mean that the party does not oppose the modification.
     (c) If the department is the applicant and if either the obligor or the obligee, or both, fails to provide a telephone number for the review or fails to be at the number provided when telephoned for the review, the failure may be considered an admission that the party or parties do not oppose the modification.
     (4) (a) An order entered under the circumstances described in subsection (3)(a), (3)(b), or (3)(c) becomes final within 30 days of issuance unless a party provides the hearings officer an affidavit showing good cause for failure to provide a telephone number or failure to be available when telephoned.
     (b) A proposed modification consent order or notice of proposed modification becomes final 30 days after issuance unless during that period a party files with the department a written request for further administrative proceedings.
     (c) The department shall grant a modification hearing if it receives a timely written request by a party aggrieved by the department's determination. The hearing is subject to the provisions of this section relating to a review. The department may adopt rules regulating the fair and efficient conduct of the hearing. Unless the department determines under department rules that an in-person hearing is necessary, the hearing must be conducted by teleconferencing methods.
     (5) A provision of law may not be construed to mean that an obligor or an obligee is a client of the department, and the department is not considered a party to the action.
     (6) (a) In addition to the powers and duties provided by other law, the department shall, to ensure the equitable determination of a support obligation, during a review:
     (i) question witnesses in a nonadversarial manner to elicit full disclosure of all pertinent facts;
     (ii) introduce evidence on behalf of the parties;
     (iii) apply the guidelines to the facts elicited from the review; and
     (iv) inquire as to any circumstances that may require variance from the guidelines.
     (b) If a party is represented by legal counsel, the department may allow the counsel to present that party's case.
     (7) The department shall determine a support obligation in accordance with the guidelines and shall issue a modifying order. A stipulation by the parties in a proceeding under this section may not be contested before entry of the final department order. If the department determines that the difference between the existing support order and the amount determined under the guidelines is negligible under rules issued by the department, the modifying order may not change the amount of the support obligation. Even though the review may indicate that a modification of the support obligation is appropriate, the department may not modify the support order if the department determines, after the review, that to do so would not be in the best interests of the child under the rules issued by the department. An increase in child support is presumed to be in the best interests of the child unless, after a review, either the obligor or the obligee demonstrates it would not be in the best interests of the child. The modifying order may modify the underlying support order from the date of service of a notice that an administrative review will be conducted under this section and may modify the underlying order from the date found to be the date that the amount required for support decreased. The obligee may be ordered to repay the obligor for any support amount overpayment found to have been paid since the date that the amount required for support decreased. If the case is a IV-D case, the department shall, on request of the obligor, enforce the obligee's repayment of the overpaid amount using any procedure provided in this chapter for payment, enforcement, and collection of child support or a delinquency.
     (8) The department shall consider whether or not health insurance for the child is available and shall include an appropriate requirement for the provision of the child's health insurance needs in a modifying order in accordance with part 8 of this chapter.
     (9) In addition to complying with other requirements of law, the modifying order must include the following notices and warnings:
     (a) that the obligor shall keep the department informed of the name and address of the obligor's current employer and information on health insurance available to the obligor through the obligor's employment or other group insurance; and
     (b) that the modifying order is subject to future administrative review and modification by the department upon the request of the department or a party under 40-5-271 through 40-5-273 when the department is providing services under IV-D.
     (10) An order entered under this section by the department is a final agency decision, subject to judicial review pursuant to the Montana Administrative Procedure Act, except as provided in 40-5-253. An order entered under this section must notify the parties that the order is subject to judicial review under Title 2, chapter 4, part 7. A final order entered under a stipulation of parties waives the stipulating parties' right to judicial review.
     (11) The parties to the support order and the department when it is providing services under IV-D may enforce the support order or modify that order independently, as provided in 40-4-208 and 53-2-613(4)(d).

     History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 266, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 482, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 55, Ch. 552, L. 1997.