California : Family Code: 3550-3558
(provided by Divorce Source, Inc.)
Published 5.20.98
3550. (a) As used in this section:
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(1) "Obligee" means a person to whom a duty of support is owed.
(2) "Obligor" means a person who owes a duty of support.
3551. Laws attaching a privilege against the disclosure of communications between husband and wife are inapplicable under this division. Husband and wife are competent witnesses to testify to any relevant matter, including marriage and parentage.
3552. (a) In a proceeding involving child, family, or spousal support, no party to the proceeding may refuse to submit copies of the party's state and federal income tax returns to the court, whether individual or joint.
(b) The tax returns may be examined by the other party and are discoverable by the other party. A party also may be examined by the other party as to the contents of a tax return submitted pursuant to this section.
(c) If the court finds that it is relevant to the case to retain the tax return, the tax return shall be sealed and maintained as a confidential record of the court. If the court finds that the tax return is not relevant to disposition of the case, all copies of the tax return shall be returned to the party who submitted it.
3554. An appeal may be taken from an order or judgment under this division as in other civil actions.
3555. Where support is ordered to be paid through the county officer designated by the court on behalf of a child or other party not receiving public assistance pursuant to the Family Economic Security Act of 1982 (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code), the designated county officer shall forward the support received to the designated payee within the time standards prescribed by federal law and the State Department of Social Services.
3556. The existence or enforcement of a duty of support owed by a noncustodial parent for the support of a minor child is not affected by a failure or refusal by the custodial parent to implement any rights as to custody or visitation granted by a court to the noncustodial parent.
3557. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, absent good cause to the contrary, the court, upon (1) determining an ability to pay and (2) consideration of the respective incomes and needs of the parties in order to ensure that each party has access to legal representation to preserve all of the party's rights, shall award reasonable attorney's fees to any of the following persons:
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(1) A custodial parent or other person to whom payments should be
made in any action to enforce any of the following:
(A) An existing order for child support.
(B) A penalty incurred pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 4720) of Part 5 of Division 9.
(b) This section shall not be construed to allow an award of attorney's fees to or against a governmental entity.
3558. In a proceeding involving child or family support, a court may require either parent to attend job training, job placement and vocational rehabilitation, and work programs, as designated by the court, at regular intervals and times and for durations specified by the court, and provide documentation of participation in the programs, in a format that is acceptable to the court, in order to enable the court to make a finding that good faith attempts at job training and placement have been undertaken by the parent.
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