With the Los Angeles Superior Courts closed until at least June 22, 2020, you might feel as though like there’s no use in filing for support modification now, despite your needs. That’s not the case.
There are two advantages to filing during this time. First, and most importantly, support modifications are retroactive to the closest future date between the 1st and the 15th of the month. That means if you file your request on April 25, whatever support modification that is ordered in the future will be retroactive to May 1. With support hearings unlikely to happen anytime soon, you can rest assured that the orders will still consider the months you spend waiting to be heard.
The second advantage is that with the courts closed, we have time to perfect your request. While we want to move quickly to preserve your retroactivity, we also want to make the most compelling argument in your favor. As part of making this compelling argument, we want to include hard evidence. Fortunately, we now have the time to seek out that hard evidence.
Many people have lost their jobs or have had their income reduced in other ways. If this is happening to you, it is likely that your support payments, whether that be child support, spousal support, or both, are no longer reflective of your income. That means the law will likely support your request for modification. We are all dealing with unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances due to COVID-19. But, don’t let those circumstances stop you from seeking the help you need. As I’ve laid out, we can take advantage of the situation.