252B.7 - LEGAL SERVICES.
252B.7 LEGAL SERVICES.
1. The attorney general may perform the legal services for the
child support recovery program and may enforce all laws for the
recovery of child support from responsible relatives. The attorney
general may file and prosecute:
a. Contempt of court proceedings to enforce any order of
court pertaining to child support.
b. Cases under chapter 252A, the Support of Dependents Law.
c. An information charging a violation of section 726.3,
726.5 or 726.6.
d. Any other lawful action which will secure collection of
support for minor children.
2. For the purposes of subsection 1, the attorney general has the
same power to commence, file and prosecute any action or information
in the proper jurisdiction, which the county attorney could file or
prosecute in that jurisdiction. This section does not relieve a
county attorney from the county attorney's duties, or the attorney
general from the supervisory power of the attorney general, in the
recovery of child support.
3. The unit may contract with a county attorney, the attorney
general, a clerk of the district court, or another person or agency
to collect support obligations and to administer the child support
program established pursuant to this chapter. Notwithstanding
section 13.7, the unit may contract with private attorneys for the
prosecution of civil collection and recovery cases and may pay
reasonable compensation and expenses to private attorneys for the
prosecution services provided.
4. An attorney employed by or under contract with the child
support recovery unit represents and acts exclusively on behalf of
the state when providing child support enforcement services. An
attorney-client relationship does not exist between the attorney and
an individual party, witness, or person other than the state,
regardless of the name in which the action is brought. Section History: Early Form
[C77, 79, 81, § 252B.7] Section History: Recent Form
83 Acts, ch 153, § 18; 90 Acts, ch 1224, § 8; 97 Acts, ch 175, §
36, 47
Referred to in § 252H.4, 600B.41A