P.R. Laws tit. 8, § 1327
(a) In a proceeding under this chapter, ASUME, upon request:
(1) Shall provide services to a petitioner residing in a state;
(2) shall provide services to a petitioner requesting services through a central authority of a foreign country as described in § 1291(5)(a) or (d) of this title; and
(3) may provide services to a petitioner who is an individual not residing in a state.
(b) As the support enforcement agency of Puerto Rico providing services to the petitioner, ASUME shall:
(1) Take all steps necessary to enable an appropriate tribunal of Puerto Rico, another state, or a foreign country to obtain jurisdiction over the respondent;
(2) request an appropriate tribunal to set a date, time, and place for a hearing;
(3) make a reasonable effort to obtain all relevant information, including information as to income and property of the parties;
(4) within two (2) days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after receipt of notice in a record from an initiating, responding, or registering tribunal, send a copy of the notice to the petitioner;
(5) within two (2) days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after receipt of communication in a record from the respondent or the respondent’s attorney, send a copy of the communication to the petitioner; and
(6) notify the petitioner if jurisdiction over the respondent cannot be obtained.
(c) When ASUME requests registration of a child-support order in Puerto Rico for enforcement or for modification, it shall make reasonable efforts:
(1) To ensure that the order to be registered is the controlling order; or
(2) if two or more child-support orders exist and the identity of the controlling order has not been determined, to ensure that a request for such a determination is made in a tribunal having jurisdiction to do so.
(d) When ASUME requests registration and enforcement of a support order, arrears, or judgment stated in a foreign currency it shall convert the amounts stated in the foreign currency into the equivalent amounts in dollars under the applicable official or market exchange rate as publicly reported.
(e) ASUME shall issue or request a tribunal of Puerto Rico to issue a child-support order and an income-withholding order that redirect payment of current support, arrears, and interest if requested to do so by a support enforcement agency of another state pursuant to § 1339 of this title.
(f) This chapter does not create or negate a relationship of attorney and client or other fiduciary relationship between a support enforcement agency or the attorney for the agency and the individual being assisted by the agency.
History —July 2, 2015, No. 103, § 307.