Can a payor avoid a default hearing by voluntarily contacting the Family Responsibility Office first?

Contacting the Family Responsibility Office proactively, before matters escalate to a default hearing, is generally the most effective way for a payor to manage a support default. FRO has discretion in how it responds to arrears, and a payor who reaches out, explains a change in circumstances, and proposes a realistic payment arrangement is in a materially better position than one who waits for enforcement notices to arrive and does nothing. This doesn't guarantee a default hearing will never happen, but it significantly improves the odds of resolving the situation without reaching that stage.

A default hearing tends to become necessary specifically because arrears have gone unaddressed despite FRO's usual notices, so demonstrating good faith and a workable plan early removes much of the basis for that escalation. If a payor's circumstances have genuinely changed, such as a job loss or reduced income, it's also worth exploring whether the underlying support amount itself should be revisited through a motion to change, rather than just managing the arrears after the fact. A payor in this situation should get legal advice on structuring a proposal FRO and, if necessary, a court is likely to find reasonable.