ASUME & judiciary sign pact to expedite child support cases.

By THE STAR STAFF

The Administration for Child Support (ASUME by its acronym in Spanish) and the Courts Administration Office signed a collaborative agreement on Wednesday to expedite the judicial handling of child support cases through digital access to up-to-date information from the ASUME portal.

“This agreement directly impacts participants in the system because it shortens response times in child support cases and allows decisions to be made based on current information regarding debt, payment history, and compliance,” ASUME Administrator María del Mar Mateu Meléndez said in a written statement.

Sigfrido Steidel Figueroa, the administrative director of the courts, noted that the collaboration “reduces administrative procedures, contributes to a more informed judicial review of cases, and strengthens inter-agency coordination.”

The agreement will allow judges, child support examiners, and authorized personnel within the judiciary to access the ASUME portal in a read-only capacity to review debt certifications or debt clearance statements, account balances, payment history, and other information related to cases currently before the courts.

According to the entities, the mechanism will feature controlled digital access limited to inquiry functions; therefore, it will not allow users to modify, delete, or add information to the system. It will also incorporate measures to protect data confidentiality and will restrict access to authorized personnel acting within the scope of their official duties.

The agreement will remain in effect until June 30, 2028, and does not involve the exchange of funds between the parties.