Child and Spousal Support

California Child Support Advocates

Parents have a legal obligation to support their children financially. The attorneys at the law firm of Thomas Chase Stutzman, A Professional Corporation have the experience to help clients obtain appropriate child support awards and to enforce those awards when necessary. The firm also helps parents in the South San Francisco Bay Area/Silicon Valley of California and throughout the United States obtain post-divorce modifications of awards when a change in the financial circumstances of one or both parents warrants such action.

Spousal support can be ordered when a couple is living apart or are divorced. Temporary support can be ordered during a legal separation and during the pendency of the divorce action, and permanent support may be ordered once a divorce is final.

Child and spousal support in California are initially determined by use of one of several computer software programs. The three (and typically only), factors considered by the court in determining both temporary and permanent child support are the father's income, the mother's income, and the relative time-share of each of the parties with the child or children.

Child support, whether temporary or permanent, is always calculated using these computer programs, since the formula does not change regardless of whether the order requested is for temporary or permanent support. In contrast, theoretically, initial spousal support is determined using one of several computer software programs, but is subsequently determined by the factors stated in Family Code Section 4320. However, the temporary order (if one was previously obtained), is normally re-affirmed as the permanent order unless there has been a significant change in circumstances since the time of the temporary order.

There is no charge for the initial half hour office consultation if you are looking for a California divorce and family law attorney.

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