The Family Support Division (FSD) handles all Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) filed actions regarding support, support enforcement, medical insurance and paternity. All support hearings in Family Law cases in which the DCSS is involved in enforcement of a support order are heard at the FSD location. The FSD office does not provide assistance with divorce, custody, or visitation issues. Custody, visitation, and restraining order issues in DCSS cases must be heard at one of the Family Law locations. All child support paperwork in DCSS cases may be filed at the Family Support Division located at: San Diego County Courthouse 220 West Broadway, 4th Floor, Room 4005 San Diego CA 92101 (619) 450-5799 Services are available between 8:30am and 4:30pm. North County Regional Center 325 South Melrose Vista, California 92081 (760) 201-8526 Child support cases assigned to Vista are heard only on Wednesday in Department NC-34. Documents relating to child support cases in Vista may be filed in the Vista Family Law/Civil Business Office Monday through Friday. You may call the above number to schedule an ex-parte hearing or to request a pre-read for an upcoming hearing. When calling the FSD business office please have your Superior Court case number readily available. You may call DCSS at (619) 236-7600 (toll free 1-866-230-2273) if you don't know your case number and ask them to do a search by Social Security Number. Please make sure you ask for your Superior Court Case number. In order to obtain copies from an FSD case you may come to the office in person or send a written request (please allow up to two weeks for processing written requests) to the address listed above. Please include the following in your request: Superior Court case number, the parties' names, documents you wish to have copied, payment for copies made payable to "Clerk of the Court" and a self addressed envelope with sufficient postage paid. There is an additional charge for certified copies (see Domestic Fee Schedule for copying fees). Except for judgment or orders modifying the judgment, access to paternity files is limited to the parties in the case. If you are a party to a paternity case and wish to request copies of documents other than a judgment or modifying orders please enclose a copy of your picture ID. There are no filing fees for paperwork filed relating to the child support issues in DCSS cases. Filing fees are applicable for filings at other Family Law locations that relate to child custody and visitation. If you cannot afford to pay the required fee, you may request an Application of Waiver of Fees and Costs or download the application on-line. The following are the form numbers you'll need for the Fee Waiver Application packet: 982(a)(17)(A) for Information Sheet On Waiver of Court Fees and Costs 982(a)(17) Application For Waiver of Court Fees and Costs 982(a)(18) Order On Application For Waiver of Court Fees and Costs.

Child Support Law

What are a parent's obligation for Child Support and how to open a case?

Domestic Fee Schedule

How much are filings fees and forms?

San Diego Department of Child Support Services

The Department of Child Support Services provides the following services: Establish paternity (fatherhood). Locate parents for support establishment and enforcement. Establish child and/or medical support orders. Enforce child and/or medical support orders. Modify existing court orders for child and/or medical support. Enforce spousal support orders where there is also a child support order. Collect and distribute support payments. Please contact DCSS at their local number (619) 236-7600 or toll free 1-866-230-2273 concerning the following issues: payment information, employer's verifying a wage withholding order, arrears balances, tax intercepts, information reported to credit bureaus, liens/abstracts of support judgment, and when requesting a continuance of an upcoming hearing. To give ex-parte notice to DCSS call their calendar department at (619) 578-6906.

Family Law Facilitators (FLF) Self-Help Center

The FLF office is located in the 4th floor of the County Courthouse in room 4001. A Family Law Facilitator specialist can help you with procedural information and forms in Family Support Cases. The sign-in times are at 7:00 a.m. and 12 noon on a first come, first served basis. Sign-ins are limited and sessions fill up quickly. You can call their office at (619) 450-5200 to listen to a recorded message and to find out what information to bring with you.

Court Links

California Judicial Council's Forms page.

Download your California Family Support forms.

California's Department of Child Support Services Organization (CDCSS)

Outside link to the California Department of Child Support Services. Get information on Paternity, Child Support Enforcement, the Child Support Process and other pertinent information regarding support issues.

California Family Codes

Outside link to California rules on Paternity and Child Support and other Family Codes.