Q: Where can I get help to fill out my child support response since the help centers are closed?

A: You should have been served with the blank forms that you need to fill out for court. Use those forms. If you don't have them any more call up the secretary for the other side and ask her/him to email them to you ASAP again. If you are in the regular family law court, those forms would be form FL-320 and FL-150. You can fill out the forms for free online at https://www.courts.ca.gov/forms.htm?filter=DI.

Here is the link for the child support form, FL-150: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fl150.pdf

Here is the link for the Responsive Declaration form, FL-320: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fl320.pdf

You you need to staple your paystubs or proof of other income for the past 60 days to the back of the form FL-150.

You also need to get a friend to fill out the proof of service form: FL-335 and staple one at the back of the pay stubs on the FL-150 and another one at the back of the FL-320. Here is the link for that form: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fl335.pdf You need two copies of that form.

If you are not in the family law court, but you are in the Child Support Services court, you need to call Child Support Services and ask them for help in filing out your forms.

Court rules say that you are supposed to file and serve your papers (by mail usually or in person) no later than 9 court days prior to the hearing date. But even if you are late, file and serve them anyway. Better late than not at all. If all else fails ask the judge for a continuance. But you cannot guarantee the judge will give you one, so better to get it done now even if late.

All 58 counties in California have some type of Self-Help Center. The people at the Self-Help Center help you fill out family law forms for free. They can’t do everything in family law, but they will help you with all the basics. The downside is that they don’t have a lot of time to spend with you, and often there is a line to get in to see them. The upside is that it is free. So if you have more time than money, go to the Self-Help Center for divorce, custody, visitation, paternity and domestic violence paperwork. But if you want a more thorough in-depth help, it is recommended that you see a family law attorney. Many family law attorneys have a free first interview.

When you ask a question online, like here, the answers you get are only going to be basic information, a starting point. Attorneys are trained to talk to you to find out all the important details of your story. Getting all the details is very important because it will make a big difference in the legal information given to you. It is strongly recommended that even if you get a response here on Justia, that you also talk to an attorney. Many have free first interviews. Even if you have to pay, it is worth it because you talking to a professional who is going to focus on you.