- (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that to the extent practicable, this article should encourage and require a child's parents to meet the obligation of providing that child with adequate food, shelter, clothing, education, and health and child care.
- (b) This article shall be construed to be consistent with articles one, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, eighteen, nineteen and twenty four of chapter forty-eight of this code, and those articles apply to actions pursuant to this chapter unless expressly stated otherwise.
- (c) When a child is removed from his or her home pursuant to this chapter, the court shall issue a support order payable by the child's mother. If the child's legal father has been determined, the court shall issue a child support order payable by the legal father. If no legal father has been determined, the court shall issue an order establishing paternity prior to or simultaneously with establishing a support order payable by the child's legal father. Copies of the orders shall be provided to the Bureau of Child Support Enforcement.
- (d) The order establishing a child support obligation must use the Guidelines for Child Support Awards that are set forth in article thirteen, chapter forty-eight of this code.
(e) In addition to the reasons for deviation listed in section seven hundred two, article thirteen, chapter forty-eight of this code, deviation from the child support guidelines is appropriate when the court finds that:
- (1) It may assist the parent in successful completion of an improvement period;
- (2) It may be in the best interest of the minor child to issue a zero child support order; and/or
- (3) The parent temporarily or permanently has no gross income as defined §48-1-228 of this code.