Section 580-101. Definitions

In this article:
    (1)  "Child"  means  an  individual,  whether over or under the age of
  majority, who is or is alleged to be owed  a  duty  of  support  by  the
  individual's  parent  or who is or is alleged to be the beneficiary of a
  support order directed to the parent.
    (2) "Child support order" means a support order for a child, including
  a child who has attained the age  of  majority  under  the  law  of  the
  issuing state.
    (3)  "Duty of support" means an obligation imposed or imposable by law
  to provide support for a child, spouse, or former spouse,  including  an
  unsatisfied obligation to provide support.
    (4)  "Home state" means the state in which a child lived with a parent
  or a person acting  as  parent  for  at  least  six  consecutive  months
  immediately  preceding  the  time  of filing of a petition or comparable
  pleading for support and, if a child is less than six  months  old,  the
  state in which the child lived from birth with any of them.  A period of
  temporary  absence of any of them is counted as part of the six-month or
  other period.
    (5) "Income" includes earnings or other periodic entitlements to money
  from any source and  any  other  property  subject  to  withholding  for
  support as defined by section five thousand two hundred forty-one of the
  civil practice law and rules.
    (6)  "Income  withholding order" means an order or other legal process
  directed to an obligor's employer or other income payor, as  defined  by
  section five thousand two hundred forty-one or five thousand two hundred
  forty-two  of  the civil practice law and rules to withhold support from
  the income of the obligor.
    (7) "Initiating state" means  a  state  from  which  a  proceeding  is
  forwarded  or  in  which  a  proceeding  is  filed  for  forwarding to a
  responding state under this article or a law or procedure  substantially
  similar  to  this article, the Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support
  Act, or the Revised Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act.
    (8)  "Initiating  tribunal"  means  the  authorized  tribunal  in   an
  initiating state.
    (9)  "Issuing  state"  means  the  state  in which a tribunal issues a
  support order or renders a judgment determining parentage.
    (10) "Issuing tribunal" means the tribunal that issues a support order
  or renders a judgment determining parentage.
    (11) "Law"  includes  decisional  and  statutory  law  and  rules  and
  regulations having the force of law.
    (12) "Obligee" means:
    (i)  an  individual  to  whom a duty of support is or is alleged to be
  owed or in whose favor a support order has been  issued  or  a  judgment
  determining parentage has been rendered;
    (ii) a state or political subdivision to which the rights under a duty
  of  support or support order have been assigned or which has independent
  claims based on financial assistance provided to an individual  obligee;
  or
    (iii)  an  individual  seeking a judgment determining parentage of the
  individual's child.
    (13) "Obligor" means an individual, or the estate of a decedent:
    (i) who owes or is alleged to owe a duty of support;
    (ii) who is alleged but has not been adjudicated to be a parent  of  a
  child; or
    (iii) who is liable under a support order.
    (14)  "Register" means to file a support order or judgment determining
  parentage in the tribunal.

    (15) "Registering tribunal" means a tribunal in which a support  order
  is registered.
    (16)  "Responding  state" means a state in which a proceeding is filed
  or to which a proceeding is forwarded  for  filing  from  an  initiating
  state under this article, or a law or procedure substantially similar to
  this  article, the Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act, or the
  Revised Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act.
    (17)  "Responding  tribunal"  means  the  authorized  tribunal  in   a
  responding state.
    (18)  "Spousal  support  order"  means a support order for a spouse or
  former spouse of the obligor.
    (19) "State" means a state of  the  United  States,  the  District  of
  Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands or any territory
  or  insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
  The term includes: (i) an Indian tribe; and (ii) a foreign  jurisdiction
  that  has  enacted  a  law  or  established  procedures for issuance and
  enforcement of support orders which are  substantially  similar  to  the
  procedures  under  this  article,  the Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of
  Support Act, or the Revised Uniform Reciprocal  Enforcement  of  Support
  Act.
    (20)  "Support  enforcement  agency" means a public official or agency
  authorized to seek:
    (i) enforcement of support orders or laws  relating  to  the  duty  of
  support;
    (ii) establishment or modification of child support;
    (iii) determination of parentage; or
    (iv) to locate obligors or their assets.
    (21)  "Support  order"  means  a  judgment,  decree, or order, whether
  temporary, final, or subject to  modification,  for  the  benefit  of  a
  child,  a  spouse,  or  a  former  spouse,  which  provides for monetary
  support, health care, arrearages,  or  reimbursement,  and  may  include
  related  costs  and fees, interest, income withholding, attorney's fees,
  and other relief.
    (22)   "Tribunal"   means   a   court,   administrative   agency,   or
  quasi-judicial  entity  authorized  to  establish,  enforce,  or  modify
  support orders or to determine parentage.