Interviewing CPs

For proper oral communications, different types of interviews require different preparation. These questions may be helpful to prepare for interviewing Custodial Persons.

Case Initiation

1. Who is the NCP? What is the person’s name? What identifying information is known (e.g., date of birth (DOB), Social Security Number (SSN), description)? What information do you have about the current location?
2. Who is the CP? Who currently has custody? For how long?
3. Who is(are) the child(ren)? What identifying information is known (e.g., DOB, SSN)? What is the child’s legal relationship to the NCP? Where does the child reside (which county)?
4. Who is the Biological Parent? What identifying information is known (e.g., DOB, SSN, description)? What information do you have about the current location?

Locate

1. Where is the NCP? What identifying information is known (e.g., DOB, SSN, description)? Is the NCP still alive? Do you have the address, telephone number, cell phone number and e‐mail address? Is the NCP incarcerated (e.g., county jail, Department of Corrections, other state’s correctional system, Federal Bureau of Prisons)?
2. What is the educational level of the NCP (e.g., high school, technical training, college graduate, degree area, professional degree, state license, or certification)?
3. Employer of the NCP (e.g., current employer name and address, phone number, previous employer names and addresses, usual occupation)? Is the NCP in the military? What branch? Active, Reserves, or National Guard?
4. Relatives and friends. Do you have any names and addresses of relatives and friends of the NCP who can help in providing Locate information?

Paternity

1. Current or prior court action. Check for information about any current or prior court action involving this child. One example would be the couple filing for divorce after a common‐law (no ceremonial marriage) relationship
2. Voluntary acknowledgment of paternity. Does the CP indicate an Acknowledgement of Paternity form was completed, and if so, from what state? (The acknowledgment should be filed in the state where the child was born.)
3. Marital status of the mother. Was the mother married at the time of the birth of the child? If so, and if the child is over two years old, the husband may be irrefutably presumed to be the child’s legal father even though the mother has named someone else.
4. Father’s name on birth certificate. Most states do not allow the father’s name on the birth certificate unless he is the legal father (i.e., the parents were married at the time of birth, or the father signed an acknowledgment of paternity). However, be aware being named on a birth certificate may not be sufficient to establish paternity
5. Genetic tests. Testing may have been conducted in conjunction with a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity or with no further legal action taken to establish paternity. Also, it may have been done in another state.
6. Other possible fathers of the child. It is important to identify all possible fathers. This may be important when deciding whether to enter a Default Order against an alleged father.
7. Locate information. If the alleged father, and in some instances the biological mother, have not been located, the questionnaire may provide new leads.
8. Personal jurisdiction. If paternity is still an issue, ask if the child was conceived in Oklahoma. If the child was not conceived in Oklahoma, did the alleged father live in Oklahoma or meet one of the personal jurisdiction criteria?
9. Guidelines information. Income, child care, and medical insurance information are needed for guidelines calculations. Information about times when the child lived with the father and/or times when the father provided support to the child are important in determining support for a prior period.

Support Establishment

1. Employment. What is/are your current occupation(s), and employer(s) name and address? How many hours do you work each week, and the rate of pay received at each position? What is your gross and take‐home pay? Do you have this same information concerning the NCP? (If the CP is not the parent of the child in question, there is no need for income or asset information. The same holds true for the remaining points in this group.)
2. Deductions. Are you paying court‐ordered child support on another case? How much have you paid during the preceding 12 months? Are you paying support alimony? How much have you paid during the preceding 12 months?
3. Child Care Expenses. Are you paying child care expenses on the child(ren)? What is the amount you are paying? Are you receiving Daycare Assistance from OKDHS? What is the amount of your co‐pay? What is the name and address of your child care provider?
4. Medical Insurance Expenses. Are you providing medical insurance for the child(ren)? What is the amount you are paying towards the cost of the child(ren) specifically?
5. Support for a Prior Period. Has the NCP paid any child support to you previously? How much and when? Have there been any times the NCP resided with the child(ren)?
6. Business Income. Are you engaged in any type of business of self‐employment? If so, what kind? What is the name and address of your business?

Asset Identification

1. Businesses and corporations. Does the NCP own an interest in any business or corporation?
2. Source of income. What was the NCP’s gross income for the last 12 months? Where did this income come from? Does the NCP own any stocks, bonds, or mutual funds? Who is the NCP’s stock broker? Does the NCP have a retirement account other than an IRA?
3. Financial institutions. Do you have any information about the bank, credit union or other financial institution where the NCP does business? Do you know any account numbers for the NCP? Does the NCP have a checking account, savings account, IRA account, Certificate of Deposit, or a safety deposit box?
4. Vehicles. Does the NCP own any vehicles? Are payments being made? Who are the payments being made to? What is the description of the vehicle (e.g., type, brand, state of registration, tag number, and vehicle identification number)? Does the NCP own any recreational vehicles such as a jet ski, boat, RV, motor home, motorcycle, airplane, etc.?
5. Personal Collections. Does the NCP own any collections such as art, coins, guns, old cars, etc.?
6. Real Estate. Does the NCP own any real estate? A home? Rental property? Vacation home? Time‐share?
7. Inheritance. Has the NCP inherited any real estate or personal property within the last year?
8. Records. Do you have any tax returns filed by the NCP within the last five years? Do you know if the NCP has completed an application for a loan in the past five years, including a financial statement? Do you know if the NCP has been a party in any legal actions in the last year, such as Workers’ Compensation, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Probate, etc.? Does the NCP have any unclaimed funds or personal property?
9. Credit History. Has the NCP made any credit applications in the last five years? Has the NCP filed for bankruptcy? What chapter? What credit cards does the NCP hold? What is the credit limit? Has the NCP made any large purchases recently? Is there a particular creditor the NCP is very careful to pay faithfully?

Review & Adjustment

1. Change of Circumstances. What has changed concerning your income or the NCP’s income since the child support order was entered? How much has the income changed?
2. Employment. What are your current occupation and employer(s) name and address? What are the average total number of hours you work per week for each employer and the rate of pay received at each position? What is your gross pay? What is the amount of take‐home pay you have? Do you have this same information concerning the NCP? (This information is not needed if the CP is not the parent of the child in question.)
3. Business Income. Are you engaged in any type of business of self‐employment? If so, what kind? What is the name and address of your business?
4. Deductions. Are you paying court‐ordered child support on another case? How much have you paid during the preceding 12 months? Are you paying support alimony? How much have you paid during the preceding 12 months?
5. Child Care Expenses. Are you paying child care expenses on the child(ren)? What is the amount you are paying? Are you receiving Daycare Assistance from OKDHS? What is the amount of your co‐pay? What is the name and address of your child care provider?
6. Medical Insurance Expenses. Are you providing medical insurance for the child(ren)? What is the amount you are paying towards the cost of the child(ren) specifically?