| Both parents have a legal duty to provide financial | | | | question. |
| support for their children. In California, as in most | | | | If the child's father lives in another state, |
| other states, the court may order either or both | | | | California's child support agency can work with the |
| parents to make regular child support payments | | | | other state's agencies to obtain genetic testing, |
| that cover a child's living and medical expenses. | | | | establish a child support order and enforce child |
| California's child support agency is administered | | | | support payments. |
| through the Department of Child Support | | | | Paying California child support laws |
| Services. This agency can help both custodial and | | | | Once a child support order has been established, |
| non-custodial parents with a number of child | | | | the non-custodial parent will generally be required |
| support related services such as establishing | | | | to continue making payments until the minor child |
| paternity, locating a non-custodial parent, | | | | emancipates or until otherwise noted in the child |
| establishing, enforcing, and modifying child support | | | | support order. Under California law, a parent's |
| orders, and collecting and distributing child support | | | | obligation to pay support continues until the child |
| payments. | | | | becomes eighteen years of age. Under certain |
| Establishing Paternity for California child support | | | | circumstances (if the child is unmarried and |
| laws | | | | attending high school full time), the current |
| Your child's paternity must be established before | | | | support obligation may continue until the child is |
| child support can be ordered. Establishing legal | | | | nineteen. |
| paternity gives your child many rights, including | | | | Modifying California child support laws |
| child support, access to medical records, | | | | In order to modify a child support order, you |
| government benefits and more. | | | | must contact your local child support agency to |
| There are several methods you can use to | | | | request a modification of the child support order |
| establish the paternity of your child. The simplest | | | | and then cooperate in the review process by |
| method for establishing paternity is to complete a | | | | providing the requested financial and visitation |
| Paternity Opportunity Program Declaration. This | | | | information. |
| form must be filled out and signed by both | | | | You can also request the modification of a child |
| parents to establish paternity without going to | | | | support order by filing a motion directly with the |
| court. If necessary, California's child support | | | | court. Contact the Family Law Facilitator's office in |
| agency can assist you in establishing the paternity | | | | your county of residence for help in filing the |
| of your child by helping you get free or low-cost | | | | motion. See below for a complete list of Family |
| genetic testing when the child's father is in | | | | Law Facilitators. |