Ch. 197                                     1993 LAWS OF MARYLAND

10-122.

(a) Except as otherwise provided for in this section and notwithstanding any other
provision of this Part III, a court shall immediately authorize service of an earnings
withholding order when:

(1) a support order or modification of support order is passed on or after
[April 9, 1991] OCTOBER 1, 1993; AND;                                                                 

(2) [a case is being enforced by a support enforcement agency; and

(3)] the recipient or support enforcement agency requests service of an
earnings withholding order.

(B) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION, FOR ALL CHILD
SUPPORT ORDERS THAT ARE INITIALLY ISSUED IN THE STATE ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1,
1994, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS ARE IN ARREARS, A COURT
SHALL IMMEDIATELY AUTHORIZE SERVICE OF AN EARNINGS WITHHOLDING ORDER ON
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE ORDER.

(b) (C) A court may not authorize the immediate service of an earnings
withholding order [in a case being enforced through a support enforcement agency] if:

(1)     any party demonstrates, and the court finds, that there is good cause to
not require immediate earnings withholding; or

(2)     the court approves of the terms of a written agreement of the parties
providing for an alternative method of payment.

(c) (D) If the court authorizes the immediate service of an earnings withholding
order, the court shall immediately cause a copy of the earnings withholding order to be
served on any employer of the obligor.

10-204.

(a) Before trial and with the written consent of the accused individual, or on
conviction of the individual under § 10-203 of this subtitle, instead of or in addition to
imposing a penalty under § 10-203 of this subtitle, the court may:

(1) order the individual to pay child support periodically in a certain amount
for 3 years, or, if there is an agreement with respect to support of the child, order the
individual to make payments as provided in the agreement; and

(2) place the individual on probation on the individual's entering into a
recognizance.

(b) In passing the order, the court shall consider the financial circumstances of
the accused individual.

(c) The accused individual shall make the payments:

(1) to the person who has custody of the minor child, through the
appropriate support enforcement agency; or

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