---
type: "LegalText"
title: "42 U.S.C. § 660"
description: "Civil action to enforce child support obligations; jurisdiction of district courts"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 42
title_name: "THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE"
chapter_number: "7"
chapter_name: "SOCIAL SECURITY"
section: "660"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 660"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc42@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t42/s660"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-42/usc42.xml"
source_hash: "24d81cc38a2a2c8a5d6e22da2e8cfdbab30c88799daec4654360e592636bb0ea"
raw_snapshot_hash: "644321055a08eb1f260a6a3e31ac157fa024756abf612a9fd6857e7e400cf24e"
text_hash: "91942e94cbf74d1b257197746484fc4b050de8a8af771ef764c6e34ca222ce36"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 42 U.S.C. § 660 - Civil action to enforce child support obligations; jurisdiction of district courts

## Text

The district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction, without regard to any amount in controversy, to hear and determine any civil action certified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 652(a)(8) of this title. A civil action under this section may be brought in any judicial district in which the claim arose, the plaintiff resides, or the defendant resides.

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, § 460, as added Pub. L. 93–647, § 101(a), Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2358; amended Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, § 2663(j)(2)(B)(xi), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 1170.)

## Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments1984—Pub. L. 98–369 substituted “Health and Human Services” for “Health, Education, and Welfare”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1984 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 98–369 effective July 18, 1984, but not to be construed as changing or affecting any right, liability, status, or interpretation which existed (under the provisions of law involved) before that date, see section 2664(b) of Pub. L. 98–369, set out as a note under section 401 of this title.