California Child Support Order: What Happens Once You’re Served?

A Summons and Complaint form is the legal document used to establish paternity, medical support, and child support in California. In addition to this paperwork is a proposed judgment, which states the amount of child support you are being asked to pay. Once you are issued these documents either in person or through another person on your behalf, you will have thirty days to respond from the date received. If you know that you are the father, you can sign a Stipulation of agreement; however, paternity tests are recommended and provide 99% accuracy.

Being served these legal documents is a serious matter that should not be taken lightly. If you ignore your Summons and Complaint, or fail to respond with the proper paperwork filled out accurately, the proposed amount of child support will become finalized. This will happen without input from you or your experienced California child support attorney in regards to your income and financial capabilities. You will become the legal father, whether you are or not, if you don’t request testing to determine if you are indeed the parent.

There are various ways to respond to a child support order. First of all, you should file an answer based on your status as the biological father. If you are not sure if you are the father, or if you believe you are not the father, a paternity genetic test needs to be conducted and an Answer to Complaint must be filed within thirty days of receiving the order.

In regards to a child support order, your finances and legal responsibilities can be on thin ice if you don’t take care of paperwork and tests correctly. These family law issues can affect you for the rest of your life, so don’t you want to make sure it is done fairly? Contact the top child support lawyers in California at Wallin & Klarich today for a case evaluation.