Article
Section
Petition for College Expenses and Special Medical, Hospital, or Dental Expenses
Step 1: Who should use this packet
You should use this form packet if:
- There is no current order of support because the child(ren) is emancipated; or
- There is no order with respect to the payment of college expenses, or special medical, hospital, or dental expenses for the child(ren).
Be sure to review IC 31-16-6-2.
You may still use this form if one parent must still pay current child support to the same parent for another child or children.
Step 2: Choose a Form Packet
Once you choose your packet, you will have to print it and complete the forms by hand. Then take the completed forms in the packet (appearance, petition, notice of hearing, order), make at least 4 copies, and file them in the Clerk of the Court’s office in the county that issued the current support order.
Review your local court rules to find out any additional forms or procedures required in your county.
Step 3: Instructions for Completing Forms and Understanding Confidentiality
- Complete all requested information accurately;
- If you need to add more information than the space allows, you may attach additional pages, but be sure to number all the pages in the entire packet to include the pages you add;
- By law, court records are available to the public, and upon request anyone can look in almost any court file. Courts that have the ability to post court information on the Internet may post non-confidential court information from court records. The law also provides that certain information must remain confidential even if it is part of a court record. Such confidential information must be filed on light green paper so that everyone can easily identify it and not release it to the public. It is important that you know what information is confidential and that you submit it to the court on light green paper.
Confidential information that should be filed on green paper includes:
- Social Security numbers
- Bank account numbers
- Tax records
- PIN numbers
- Medical records
- Child abuse records
You must file one version of the document on white paper WITHOUT the confidential information included, and you must file another copy of the same document, but this time you have to print it on light green paper WITH the confidential information included. Before you file your court papers, review the list of information and documents that are confidential as outlined in Administrative Rule 9.
To file a copy of this packet that excludes the confidential information, you may:
- Skip the questions that require you to enter confidential information as outlined in Administrative Rule 9, print the packet, and then complete those questions you skipped and print the packet again. Then have any sheets containing confidential information photocopied onto light green paper; or
- Complete the forms packet, print it, then have any sheets containing confidential information photocopied onto light green paper. Then, on the forms printed on white paper, black out any confidential information with a magic marker.
Step 4: File your Completed Forms
- Take the originals and copies of your forms to the Clerk of the Court that issued the current child support order. The Clerk will stamp the forms with a filing date and give you back a copy.
- Mail one stamped copy of each form that you filed to the other parent's attorney, or the other parent if he or she is not represented by an attorney. If you request the Clerk to serve the other parent, you must have the other parent's address when you file. If you give the other parent their copy of the filed Petition in person, you must write "hand delivered" on the Petition where it says "certificate of service."
- Leave two stamped envelopes with the Clerk, one with your address and one with the other parent's address, for the Clerk to mail the signed order.
- If there is supporting documentation that you plan to bring to the hearing for the judge to see, make copies for the other parent as well.