Bakersfield Child Support Attorneys

Giving Your Child the Resources They Need to Thrive

At Alternative Divorce Solutions, our Bakersfield child support lawyers help parents pursue fair child support arrangements that enable children to thrive.

How Do I Get Child Support in California?

If you want to obtain support for your child from another parent, your first step is opening a child support case. To open a case, you must fill out and file a child support application with your local child support agency, which can then help you open a child support case with your county court. Your local child support agency will work with both parents throughout the process to ensure the final order is equitable and each parent receives the help they need to navigate the case more easily.

Assuming the location of both parents named in the case is known, the parent who is asked to pay for child support will receive a summons and complaint packet from the court to notify them of the case. They have 30 days to respond and engage in deciding a support arrangement with the other parent. If they fail to respond, the court may issue a default child support order on their behalf.

At this stage, assuming both parents are the child(ren)’s legal parents and have parental rights, one of two things can happen:

• The parents create a stipulated agreement detailing terms both parties agree are fair for the child support order. A judge can then assess and approve the agreement, finalizing the support order.

• The parents can attend court and present their cases to a judge, who will then use the provided information to determine whether child support is necessary (and, if so, what amount the payor is responsible for).

How Do California Courts Calculate Support?

Generally speaking, the less time a child spends living with a parent (and the more disposable income that parent has), the more support that parent will be responsible for.

At Alternative Divorce Solutions, our Bakersfield child support attorneys are committed to helping Californians obtain equitable child support arrangements that enable their child(ren) to thrive. Proud to serve Kern County and the surrounding areas, our team of experienced child support lawyers are here to help!