Title
Title
Rules and Forms | Family Law: Standards for Computer Software Used to Assist in Determining Support (Action Required)
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Summary
Summary
The Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee recommends that the Judicial Council amend a rule of court that provides standards for computer software that assists in determining child and spousal support. This action is necessary to conform the rule to current law. The recommended changes also update terminology and requirements related to technology and clarify language related to the Judicial Council’s guideline calculator testing and certification process.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
The Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee recommends that the Judicial Council amend rule 5.275 of the California Rules of Court, effective January 1, 2026, to:
• Bring the standards into conformity with existing law regarding the treatment of subsequent partner income when calculating child support and recent changes to Family Code section 4061 related to the apportionment of expenses for additional child support between parents;
• Update terminology and requirements related to computer hardware, operating systems, and software necessary to test support calculators; and
• Clarify language related to the use of scenarios created to test the accuracy of support calculator software to resolve confusion expressed by developers concerning the certification process, and make minor technical and grammatical changes.
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