Frequently Asked Questions about Appeals
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Table of Contents

1. How do I appeal an agency decision?
2. What agency decisions can be appealed to Revenue Hearing Officers?
3. How do I appeal an agency decision to the Revenue Hearing Officers?
4. How much time do I have to request an appeal?
5. What can I do to help see that my appeal is processed timely?
6. Who will notify me of a hearing date?
7. What if I need to change the date for the hearing?
8. What actions do I appeal to Superior Court?

1. How do I appeal an agency decision?

There are three ways to appeal an agency decision or action. The first is to ask CSSD to review the action. This is often called an administrative review. If one of the case parties does not agree with the agency's decision, they may appeal to the Department of Revenue or the Alaska Superior Court. See questions 2 and 8 to determine where to appeal the decision.

2. What agency decisions can be appealed to Revenue Hearing Officers?

Either parent may appeal the agency’s Administrative Support Order, which establishes the monthly child support due in a new case and a modification of that monthly support amount. Other decisions that may be appealed to a hearing officer include paternity establishment and disestablishment, vacating an order established without income information and nondisclosure of information because of family violence.

3. How do I appeal an agency decision to the Revenue Hearing Officers?

It’s best if you write your appeal on the form attached to the administrative decision. If you’d prefer, write your appeal on a separate sheet of paper and attach it the form. You should clearly state the disputed issues. Explain why you think the agency’s decision is incorrect and provide documents to support your position.

4. How much time do I have to request an appeal?

Your request for formal hearing should be sent to the agency within 30 days from the date of the administrative review decision. If the agency issued an Administrative Support Order in your case and no administrative review was conducted, that notice became an order 30 days after the date you were served with the order. You should now request a review for modification if you disagree with the order.

5. What can I do to help see that my appeal is processed timely?

Please write MS 24 on your envelopes and letters sent or delivered to the child support agency. Do not address your correspondence to your caseworker since a separate formal hearing team handles all appeals.

6. Who will notify me of a hearing date?

The dates for the formal hearings are set by the commissioner's office for the Department of Revenue. The hearing notice will be sent via certified mail from their office.

7. What if I need to change the date for the hearing?

You need to make your request to the commissioner's office for the Department of Revenue. The contact number and address are on your hearing notice.

8. What actions do I appeal to Superior Court?

If you disagree with CSSD's decision, you must appeal the following directly to the Superior Court: vacating paternity testing orders in establishment and disestablishment cases, various Services actions and offsetting child support arrears. Decisions made by the Revenue Hearing Officers' should also be appealed to the Superior Court.