title: Maintenance Enforcement Act, 11 May 1988.
abstract: This Act establishes a Director of Maintenance Enforcement in Prince Edward Island, Canada, to enforce maintenance "in such manner, if any, as appears practicable."  Under the Act, extraprovincial garnishments are recognized, and maintenance orders may be registered against land with authority to force the sale of that land.  In addition, a debtor may be required to file a financial statement and appear before a court to explain the default.  At a default hearing, a debtor shall be assumed to have the ability to pay arrears, unless the contrary is shown.  A debtor may also be required to discharge the arrears by periodic payments; provide security in such form as the court directs, which may later be sold; report periodically to the court; and be imprisoned continuously or intermittently for not more than 90 days; among other things.  Support and maintenance orders are given priority over other judgment debts regardless of when an enforcement process is issued or served.  Similar laws were enacted in Alberta and Newfoundland.  See the Maintenance Enforcement Act 1985 (Alberta, 5 June 1985) and The Support Orders Enforcement Act (Newfoundland, 8 July 1988).  For a  description of the major provisions of the Alberta Act, see Commonwealth Law Bulletin, July 1986, pp. 621-22.
mesh_terms: D000569:Americas; D001519:Behavior; D002170:Canada; D002654:Child Care; D002668:Child Rearing; D019049:Developed Countries; D004467:Economics; D005376:Financial Management; D007878:Legislation as Topic; D009656:North America
keywords: Americas; Behavior; Canada; Child Rearing; Child Support--legal aspects; Developed Countries; Economic Factors; Financial Activities; Legislation; Microeconomic Factors; North America; Northern America; Spousal Support--legal aspects