{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/20-88.53.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/20-88.53.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/20-88.53.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/20-88.53.html"}],"law_id":353747,"edition_id":2,"section_id":353747,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.53","catch_line":"Duties of state information agency","history":"1994, c. 673; 2005, c. 754; 2015, c. 727.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Department of Social Services is the state information agency under this chapter.\n\nB\n\nThe state information agency shall:\n\n1\n\nCompile and maintain a current list, including addresses, of the tribunals in the Commonwealth that have jurisdiction under this chapter and any support enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth and transmit a copy to the state information agency of every other state;\n\n2\n\nMaintain a register of names and addresses of tribunals and support enforcement agencies received from other states;\n\n3\n\nForward to the appropriate tribunal in the county or city in the Commonwealth in which the obligee who is an individual or the obligor resides, or in which the obligor’s property is believed to be located, all documents concerning a proceeding under this chapter received from another state or a foreign country; and\n\n4\n\nObtain information concerning the location of the obligor and the obligor’s property within the Commonwealth not exempt from execution, by such means as postal verification and federal or state locator services, examination of telephone directories, requests for the obligor’s address from employers, and examination of governmental records, including, to the extent not prohibited by other law, those relating to real property, vital statistics, law enforcement, taxation, motor vehicles, driver’s licenses, and social security.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1317824,"text":"The Department of Social Services is the state information agency under this chapter.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1317825,"text":"The state information agency shall:","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"B1"},"2":{"id":1317826,"text":"Compile and maintain a current list, including addresses, of the tribunals in the Commonwealth that have jurisdiction under this chapter and any support enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth and transmit a copy to the state information agency of every other state;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"B1","prefix_anchor":"B1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"B2"},"3":{"id":1317827,"text":"Maintain a register of names and addresses of tribunals and support enforcement agencies received from other states;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"B2","prefix_anchor":"B2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B1","next_prefix":"B3"},"4":{"id":1317828,"text":"Forward to the appropriate tribunal in the county or city in the Commonwealth in which the obligee who is an individual or the obligor resides, or in which the obligor’s property is believed to be located, all documents concerning a proceeding under this chapter received from another state or a foreign country; and","type":"section","prefixes":["B","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"B3","prefix_anchor":"B3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B2","next_prefix":"B4"},"5":{"id":1317829,"text":"Obtain information concerning the location of the obligor and the obligor’s property within the Commonwealth not exempt from execution, by such means as postal verification and federal or state locator services, examination of telephone directories, requests for the obligor’s address from employers, and examination of governmental records, including, to the extent not prohibited by other law, those relating to real property, vital statistics, law enforcement, taxation, motor vehicles, driver’s licenses, and social security.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"B4","prefix_anchor":"B4","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B3"}},"ancestry":[{"id":50647,"edition_id":2,"name":"Civil Provisions of General Application","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":5,"parent_id":50642,"metadata":{"child_laws":19,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:39","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:51","permalink":{"id":1405747,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50647,"identifier":"5","token":"20\/5.3\/5","url":"\/20\/5.3\/5\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50642,"edition_id":2,"name":"Uniform Interstate Family Support Act","identifier":"5.3","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":10,"parent_id":50619,"metadata":{"child_laws":77,"child_structures":13},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:37","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:50","permalink":{"id":1405597,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50642,"identifier":"5.3","token":"20\/5.3","url":"\/20\/5.3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50619,"edition_id":2,"name":"Domestic Relations","identifier":"20","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":56,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":329,"child_structures":36},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:08","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:49","permalink":{"id":1405077,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50619,"identifier":"20","token":"20","url":"\/20\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":353738,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.44","catch_line":"Proceedings under this chapter","url":"\/20-88.44\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.44","metadata":false},{"id":353739,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.45","catch_line":"Action by minor parent","url":"\/20-88.45\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.45","metadata":false},{"id":353740,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.46","catch_line":"Application of law of the Commonwealth","url":"\/20-88.46\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.46","metadata":false},{"id":353741,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.47","catch_line":"Duties of initiating tribunal","url":"\/20-88.47\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.47","metadata":false},{"id":353742,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.48","catch_line":"Duties and powers of responding tribunal","url":"\/20-88.48\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.48","metadata":false},{"id":353743,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.49","catch_line":"Inappropriate tribunal","url":"\/20-88.49\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.49","metadata":false},{"id":353744,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.50","catch_line":"Duties of support enforcement agency","url":"\/20-88.50\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.50","metadata":false},{"id":353745,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.51","catch_line":"Duty of Secretary of Health and Human Resources","url":"\/20-88.51\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.51","metadata":false},{"id":353746,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.52","catch_line":"Private counsel","url":"\/20-88.52\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.52","metadata":false},{"id":353747,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.53","catch_line":"Duties of state information agency","url":"\/20-88.53\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.53","metadata":false},{"id":353748,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.54","catch_line":"Pleadings and accompanying documents","url":"\/20-88.54\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.54","metadata":false},{"id":353749,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.55","catch_line":"Nondisclosure of information in exceptional circumstances","url":"\/20-88.55\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.55","metadata":false},{"id":353750,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.56","catch_line":"Costs and fees","url":"\/20-88.56\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.56","metadata":false},{"id":353751,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.57","catch_line":"Limited immunity of petitioner","url":"\/20-88.57\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.57","metadata":false},{"id":353752,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.58","catch_line":"Nonparentage as defense","url":"\/20-88.58\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.58","metadata":false},{"id":353753,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.59","catch_line":"Special rules of evidence and procedure","url":"\/20-88.59\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.59","metadata":false},{"id":353754,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.60","catch_line":"Communications between tribunals","url":"\/20-88.60\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.60","metadata":false},{"id":353755,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.61","catch_line":"Assistance with discovery","url":"\/20-88.61\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.61","metadata":false},{"id":353756,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.62","catch_line":"Receipt and disbursement of payments","url":"\/20-88.62\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.62","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":353746,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.52","catch_line":"Private counsel","url":"\/20-88.52\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.52","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":353748,"structure_id":50647,"section_number":"20-88.54","catch_line":"Pleadings and accompanying documents","url":"\/20-88.54\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.54","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/20-88.53\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1994. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 673<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2005, chapter 754<\/a>; in 2015, chapter 727<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1405785,"object_type":"law","relational_id":353747,"identifier":"20-88.53","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.53","url":"\/20-88.53\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/20-88.53\/","token":"20\/5.3\/5\/20-88.53","dublin_core":{"Title":"Duties of state information agency","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 20-88.53","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Department of Social Services is the state<\/span> information agency under this chapter. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The state<\/span> information agency shall: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Compile and maintain a current list, including addresses, of the tribunals<\/span> in the Commonwealth that have jurisdiction<\/span> under this chapter and any support enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth and transmit a copy to the state<\/span> information agency of every other state<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Maintain a register<\/span> of names and addresses of tribunals<\/span> and support enforcement agencies received from other states<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Forward to the appropriate tribunal<\/span> in the county or city in the Commonwealth in which the obligee<\/span> who is an individual or the obligor<\/span> resides, or in which the obligor<\/span>’s property is believed to be located, all documents concerning a proceeding under this chapter received from another state<\/span> or a foreign country<\/span>; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> Obtain information concerning the location of the obligor<\/span> and the obligor<\/span>’s property within the Commonwealth not exempt from execution, by such means as postal verification and federal or state<\/span> locator services, examination of telephone directories, requests for the obligor<\/span>’s address from employers<\/span>, and examination of governmental records<\/span>, including, to the extent not prohibited by other law<\/span>, those relating to real property, vital statistics, law<\/span> enforcement, taxation, motor vehicles, driver’s licenses, and social security. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDUTIES OF STATE INFORMATION AGENCY (\u00a7 20-88.53)\n\nA. The Department of Social Services is the state information agency under this\nchapter.\n\nB. The state information agency shall:\n\n 1. Compile and maintain a current list, including addresses, of the tribunals\n in the Commonwealth that have jurisdiction under this chapter and any support\n enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth and transmit a copy to the state\n information agency of every other state;\n\n 2. Maintain a register of names and addresses of tribunals and support\n enforcement agencies received from other states;\n\n 3. Forward to the appropriate tribunal in the county or city in the\n Commonwealth in which the obligee who is an individual or the obligor resides,\n or in which the obligor’s property is believed to be located, all\n documents concerning a proceeding under this chapter received from another\n state or a foreign country; and\n\n 4. Obtain information concerning the location of the obligor and the\n obligor’s property within the Commonwealth not exempt from execution, by\n such means as postal verification and federal or state locator services,\n examination of telephone directories, requests for the obligor’s address\n from employers, and examination of governmental records, including, to the\n extent not prohibited by other law, those relating to real property, vital\n statistics, law enforcement, taxation, motor vehicles, driver’s\n licenses, and social security.\n\nHISTORY: 1994, c. 673; 2005, c. 754; 2015, c. 727.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}