Child Support Project (AB 1058)

THE REVIEW OF CALIFORNIA’S STATEWIDE UNIFORM CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINE 2001

The Review of Statewide Uniform Child Support Guideline, 2001 was prepared pursuant to Family Code §4054, with research conducted by Policy Studies Inc. under the coordination of staff and with assistance from the Family Law Subcommittee of the Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee.

This report contains the results of a study of 1,000 child support orders obtained in California to determine the actual application of the guideline in the courts. The support orders studied were filed during calendar year 1999. The report also includes a review of the economic data available on the cost of raising children, an analysis of guidelines and studies from other states, and a summary of other research and studies on child support guidelines. The Judicial Council requested that the study activities particularly address three key issues of special interest to the Legislature: (1) the treatment of low-income obligors, (2) the use of gross income versus net income as the base for establishing child support, and (3) the treatment of additional dependents.

Click below to read each section of the Review of California's Statewide Uniform Child Support Guideline, 2001:

Report Cover Page (PDF)

Executive Summary (PDF)

Chapter I Introduction (PDF)

Chapter II California Child Support Guideline (PDF)

Chapter III Guideline Application: A Review of the Case Files (PDF)

Chapter IV Selected Special Factors and Other States (PDF)

Chapter V Parental Expenditures on Children (PDF)

Chapter VI Guideline Users’ Survey (PDF)

Exhibit 6-1 (PDF)
Exhibit 6-3 (PDF)
Exhibit 6-4 (PDF)
Exhibit 6-5 (PDF)
Exhibit 6-7 (PDF)
Exhibit 6-8 (PDF)
Exhibit 6-9 (PDF)
Exhibit 6-10 (PDF)
Exhibit 6-11 (PDF)
Exhibit 6-12 (PDF)
Exhibit 6-13 (PDF)

Chapter VII Parents’ Opinions About the Guideline (PDF)

Chapter VIII Recommendations (PDF)

Appendix A Case File Review Methodology (PDF)

Table A-1 (PDF)

Appendix B References (PDF)

Appendix C Critique of the Engel & Rothbarth Methodologies (PDF)

Appendix D California Child Support Guideline User Survey (PDF)

Appendix E Project Staff Biographies (PDF)

Appendix F Acknowledgements (PDF)

Please contact the CFCC@jud.ca.gov for more information.