Legal Question in Family Law in Florida

When child support is ordered to be paid "through the state," the state will automatically assess interst on back support periodically. (The interest rate changes every year because it gets re-set every December by the Florida Secretary of State.) One of the options available to a payee--in this case, his ex--is to have the back support reduced to a judgment. If she does that, she can collect on the judgment just like anyone could collect on a judgment (in other words, she might be able to garnish wages, put a lien on a house or other property, seize property, etc., depending on the circumstances). If the judgment is properly renewed, it could last up to 20 years. Her judgment would also collect interest according to the rate set by the Secretary of State.