Can My Child Support Attorney Help Me Work Out a Child Support Agreement Without Going to Court?

There is a growing movement in divorce, child custody, and child support proceedings for the parents and attorneys to work together to find common ground and move forward with informal negotiations to develop a child support agreement to find what’s in the best interest of the children. There are tremendous benefits to all parties involved when resolving child custody in this fashion which we discuss below. However, it is usually best if a third-party is involved like a child support attorney.

SLO clients interested in learning more about a child support agreement should contact Hosford & Hosford at 805-439-1906. We have over 3 decades of experience in family law, and we’ve helped thousands of parents and spouses put in place great child support agreements before going into a courtroom. Give us a call today at 805-439-1906.

The next thing that will happen is for us to sit down with you and learn more about your particular case. We will talk about your goals in this situation and what kind of custody arrangement you’d like to develop. From there we’ll create a customized plan of action that will guide us as we continue to move forward in the process.

What Is a Child Support Agreement?

In short, a child support agreement is a written document that resolves all of the issues about child support including the amount, how long payment lasts, and how often the payments are made. Often, these discussions are negotiated by a child support attorney.

SLO clients who are on amicable terms with the other parent can discuss the possibility of working out a child support agreement without having to engage in adversarial negotiations in court. However, we should say that the agreement developed between you and the other parent will still need to be reviewed and approved by a judge. This is fantastic for the parents and children involved because it reduces the amount of conflict in the entire process and it also keeps much your private information from becoming public record in a courtroom.

What Happens After a Child Support Agreement is Finished?

The child support agreement will cover every single aspect of the support, and once it is finished, there is still one final step. The written and signed document will be presented to a judge in a very casual courtroom hearing. The judge will review the agreement and then approve it. During this proceeding, you should make sure you have a good child support attorney.

SLO clients will appear in front of the judge and may have to answer some informal questions. From there, the judge will determine if the agreement is in the best interest of the children and ensure the agreement doesn’t violate state law.

If the judge approves the agreement, it will become binding, just like a court order. That means if any terms of the agreement are violated there will be legal consequences. Again, this is another reason why it’s always best to work with a child support attorney. SLO clients should not attempt to navigate this complicated process on their own.

Call Hosford & Hosford in SLO at 805-439-1906 to find out how we can help mediate a child support agreement on your behalf. We’ve worked on hundreds of cases like these, and we have extensive experience creating and submitting child support agreements. Give us a call today to get this process resolved.