Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A. Domestic Relations § 2351. Right of support enforcement when order exists

1. Subrogation of support rights. If a support order exists, the department is subrogated to the right of a dependent child or person having custody of the child named in the order to pursue any support action or administrative remedy to secure payment of the debt accrued or accruing under section 2301 and to enforce the order. The department is not required to seek an amendment to the support order to subrogate itself to the rights of the payee. The department is not required to file a motion to intervene or join in any court proceeding to subrogate itself to the rights of the payee and to be treated as a party in any further proceedings regarding the support order. Upon notice to the parties, the department may order an obligor or other payor of child support to redirect payments to the department if payments are owed to the department or another state pursuant to an assignment of support rights or if payments are otherwise required to be made through the department. A person who knowingly violates the department's order commits a civil violation for which the court may adjudge a forfeiture not to exceed $500 plus interest, attorney's fees and costs.

2. Limits on subrogation. When payment of public assistance for the benefit of a dependent child has ceased, that child, or a person having the custody of the child named in the order, may pursue any support action or administrative remedy to secure payment of any support arrearage that accrued before or after the period of receiving public assistance and that is not part of the debt under section 2301. The department may not be subrogated to this right.