Article 9 - Intercounty Support Obligations

California Family Code — §§ 5600-5604

Sections (5)

Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 808, Sec. 68. Effective September 28, 2000.

(a)A local child support agency or obligee may register an order for support or earnings withholding, or both, obtained in another county of the state.

(b)An obligee may register a support order in the court of another county of this state in the manner, with the effect, and for the purposes provided in this part. The orders may be registered in any county in which the obligor, the obligee, or the child who is the subject of the order resides, or in any county in which the obligor has income, assets, or any other property.

§ 5601

Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 115, Sec. 56. (AB 1817) Effective January 1, 2020.

(a)When the local child support agency is responsible for the enforcement of a support order pursuant to Section 17400, the local child support agency may register a support order made in another county by utilizing the procedures set forth in Section 5602 or by filing all of the following in the superior court of the agency’s county:

(1)An endorsed file copy of the most recent support order or a copy thereof.

(2)A statement of arrearages, including an accounting of amounts ordered and paid each month, together with any added costs, fees, and interest.

(3)A statement prepared by the local child support agency showing the post office address of the local child support agency, the last known place of residence or post office address of the obligor; the most recent address of the obligor set forth in the licensing records of the Department of Motor Vehicles, if known; and a list of other states and counties in California that are known to the local child support agency in which the original order of support and any modifications are registered.

(b)The filing of the documents described in subdivision (a) constitutes registration under this chapter.

(c)Promptly upon registration, the local child support agency, in compliance with the requirements of Section 1013 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or in any other manner as

provided by law, shall serve the obligor with copies of the documents described in subdivision (a).

(d)If a motion to vacate registration is filed under Section 5603, a party may introduce into evidence copies of pleadings, documents, or orders that have been filed in the original court or other courts where the support order has been registered or modified. Certified copies of the documents shall not be required unless a party objects to the authenticity or accuracy of the

document, in which case it shall be the responsibility of the party who is asserting the authenticity of the document to obtain a certified copy of the questioned document.

(e)Upon registration, the clerk of the court shall forward a notice of registration to the courts in other counties and states in which the original order for support and any modifications were issued or registered. Further proceedings regarding the obligor’s support obligations shall not be filed in other counties.

(f)The procedure prescribed by this section may also be used to register support or wage and earnings assignment orders of other California jurisdictions that previously have been registered for purposes of enforcement only pursuant to the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (Part 6

(commencing with Section 5700.101)) in another California county. The local child support agency may register such an order by filing an endorsed file copy of the registered California order plus any subsequent orders, including procedural amendments.

(g)The Judicial Council shall develop the forms necessary to effectuate this section. These forms shall be available no later than July 1, 1998.

§ 5602

Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 808, Sec. 70. Effective September 28, 2000.

(a)An obligee other than the local child support agency may register an order issued in this state using the same procedures specified in subdivision (a) of Section 5601, except that the obligee shall prepare and file the statement of registration. The statement shall be verified and signed by the obligee showing the mailing address of the obligee, the last known place of residence or mailing address of the obligor, and a list of other states and counties in California in which, to the obligee’s knowledge, the original order of support and any modifications are registered.

(b)Upon receipt of the documents described in subdivision (a) of Section 5601, the clerk of the court shall file them without payment of a filing fee or other cost to the obligee. The filing constitutes registration under this chapter.

(c)Promptly upon registration, the clerk of the court shall send, by any form of mail requiring a

return receipt from the addressee only, to the obligor at the address given a notice of the registration with a copy of the registered support order and the post office address of the obligee. Proof shall be made to the satisfaction of the court that the obligor personally received the notice of registration by mail or other method of service. A return receipt signed by the obligor shall be satisfactory evidence of personal receipt.

§ 5603

Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 115, Sec. 57. (AB 1817) Effective January 1, 2020.

(a)An obligor shall have 20 days after the service of notice of the registration of a California order of support in which to file a noticed motion requesting the court to vacate the registration or for other relief. In an action under this section, there shall be no joinder of actions, coordination of actions, or cross-complaints, and the claims or defenses shall be limited strictly to the identity of the obligor, the validity of the underlying California support order, or the accuracy of the obligee’s statement of the amount of support remaining unpaid unless the amount has been previously established by a judgment or order. The obligor shall serve a copy of the motion, personally or by first-class mail, on

the local child support agency, private attorney representing the obligee, or obligee who is self-representing who filed the request for registration of the order, not less than 15 days prior to the date on which the motion is to be heard. If service is by mail, Section 1013 of the Code of Civil Procedure applies. If the obligor does not file the motion within 20 days, the registered California support order and all other documents filed pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 5601 or Section 5602 are confirmed.

(b)At the hearing on the motion to vacate the registration of the order, the obligor may present only matters that would be available to the obligor as defenses in an action to enforce a support judgment. If the obligor shows, and the court finds, that an appeal from the order is pending or that a stay of execution has been granted,

the court shall stay enforcement of the order until the appeal is concluded, the time for appeal has expired, or the order is vacated, upon satisfactory proof that the obligor has furnished security for payment of the support ordered. If the obligor shows, and the court finds, any ground upon which enforcement of a California support order may be stayed, the court shall stay enforcement of the order for an appropriate period if the obligor furnishes security for payment of support.

§ 5604

Added by Stats. 1997, Ch. 599, Sec. 35. Effective January 1, 1998.

A previous determination of paternity made by another state, whether established through voluntary acknowledgment procedures in effect in that state or through an administrative or judicial process shall be given full faith and credit by the courts in this state, and shall have the same effect as a paternity determination made in this state and may be enforced and satisfied in a like manner.