§38-10-7. Institution of actions for enforcement of child support obligations, etc.

(a) Whenever anyone owing the obligation of support has failed to provide support, and application is made to the department for support services as may be provided pursuant to the requirements of Title IV-D or for aid, the department, and including the district attorney when providing services for the department, may take appropriate action under this article, or any other appropriate state and federal statutes, to assure that the responsible person or persons owing the obligation of support provide support, including, but not limited to, civil or criminal actions to determine parentage or to establish, modify, or enforce support obligations. All actions to determine parentage or to establish, modify, or enforce support obligations may be brought in either the juvenile court or district court or the circuit court or appropriate federal court, and all presently existing statutes are hereby amended to provide that the juvenile courts and district courts and the circuit courts shall have the concurrent jurisdiction of actions involving parentage, desertion, nonsupport, or support.

(b) The court making the determination of parentage, or establishing, modifying, or enforcing support, unless otherwise provided by law, shall retain jurisdiction to enforce or modify prior orders of the court.

Acts 1979, No. 79-819, p. 1528, §7; Acts 1986, Ex. Sess., No. 86-709, p. 120, §6; Act 2012-383, p. 1011, §1.)