4975-5005
FAMILY.CODE
SECTION 4975-5005
4975. This chapter shall be applied and construed to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law with respect to the subject of this chapter among states enacting it. 4975. In applying and construing this uniform act, consideration shall be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it. 4976. If any provision of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this chapter are severable. 4977. (a) The order described in Section 4926 shall be issued upon application of a child, parent, guardian or other caretaker of a child, or party, signed under penalty of perjury, setting forth facts that demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the court, that the health, safety, freedom of movement, or physical or emotional well-being of the applicant or the applicant's child may be put unreasonably at risk by the disclosure of the applicant's address or other identifying information. (b) A copy of the order issued pursuant to this section shall be served on the other party to the proceeding and the district attorney by first-class mail. The order shall include a mailing address for service of process on the protected party. The protected party shall be required to file with the court notice of any change of the mailing address and a copy of the notice shall be sent to the other party to the proceeding and the district attorney. This designated address shall not be the address of a governmental agency unless the agency has consented in writing to the designation. (c) Notwithstanding any local or state rules of court, no notice is required prior to issuance of an order pursuant to this section. (d) An order issued pursuant to this section shall not expire until further order of the court, issued after a hearing on a noticed motion filed by the other party to the proceeding and served by first-class mail on the protected party, at the mailing address described in subdivision (b), and the district attorney. (e) Part 4 (commencing with Section 240) of Division 2 shall not apply to the issuance of an order pursuant to this section. (f) The Judicial Council shall adopt forms and notices to implement this section, that shall be available no later than July 1, 1999. (g) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a party to obtain an order pursuant to this section before using a confidential address on court pleadings except as required by Section 4925. 4978. A support enforcement agency that is providing services to a petitioner pursuant to Section 4921 shall do all of the following: (a) Inform the petitioner of the requirement that the pleadings contain identifying information about the petitioner and the child, including the residential address, unless an order of nondisclosure is granted pursuant to Sections 4926 and 4977. (b) Inform the petitioner of his or her right to seek an order of nondisclosure and provide information regarding how that order may be obtained. (c) Inform the petitioner that the support enforcement agency shall seek an order of nondisclosure on behalf of the petitioner if the petitioner has previously obtained a protective or restraining order or has been granted a good cause exception from cooperation requirements pursuant to Section 11477.04 of the Welfare and Institutions Code; and instruct the petitioner to notify the agency of any such order or exception. (d) Seek an order of nondisclosure pursuant to Sections 4926 and 4977 if the petitioner informs the agency that he or she has obtained a protective or restraining order or has been granted a good cause exception from cooperation requirements pursuant to Section 11477.04 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. 5000. (a) When a petition or comparable pleading pursuant to this chapter is filed in a court of this state, the local child support agency or petitioner may either (1) request the issuance of a summons or (2) request the court to issue an order requiring the respondent to appear personally at a specified time and place to show cause why an order should not be issued as prayed in the petition or comparable pleading on file. (b) If a summons is issued for a petition or comparable pleading pursuant to this chapter, the local child support agency or petitioner shall cause a copy of the summons, petition, and other documents to be served upon the respondent according to law. (c) If an order to show cause is issued on a petition or comparable pleading pursuant to this chapter requiring the respondent to appear at a specified time and place to respond to the petition, a copy of the order to show cause, the petition, and other documents shall be served upon the respondent at least 15 days prior to the hearing. (d) A petition or comparable pleading pursuant to this chapter served upon a respondent in accordance with this section shall be accompanied by a blank responsive form that shall permit the respondent to answer the petition and raise any defenses by checking applicable boxes and by a blank income and expense declaration or simplified financial statement together with instructions for completion of the forms. 5001. (a) If, prior to filing, a petition or comparable pleading pursuant to this chapter is received by the local child support agency or the superior court and the county in which the pleadings are received is not the appropriate jurisdiction for trial of the action, the court or the local child support agency shall forward the pleadings and any accompanying documents to the appropriate court of this state or to the jurisdiction of another state without filing the pleadings or order of the court, and shall notify the petitioner, the California Central Registry, and the local child support agency of the receiving county where and when the pleading was sent. (b) If, after a petition or comparable pleading pursuant to this chapter has been filed with the superior court of a county, it appears that the respondent is not or is no longer a resident of the county in which the action has been filed, upon ex parte application by the local child support agency or petitioner, the court shall transfer the action to the appropriate court of this state or to the appropriate jurisdiction of another state and shall notify the petitioner, the respondent, the California Central Registry, and the local child support agency of the receiving county where and when the pleading was sent. (c) If, after entry of an order by a court of this state on an action filed pursuant to this chapter or an order of another state registered in a court of this state for enforcement or modification pursuant to this chapter, it appears that the respondent is not or is no longer a resident of the county in which the foreign order has been registered, upon ex parte application by the local child support agency of the transferring or receiving county or the petitioner, the court shall transfer the registered order and all documents subsequently filed in that action to the appropriate court of this state and shall notify the petitioner, the respondent, the California Central Registry, and the local child support agency of the transferring and receiving county where and when the registered order and all other appropriate documents were sent. Transfer of certified copies of documents shall meet the requirements of this section. (d) If, in an action initiated in a court of this state pursuant to this chapter or a predecessor law for interstate enforcement of support, the petitioner is no longer a resident of the county in which the action has been filed, upon ex parte application by the petitioner or the local child support agency, the court shall transfer the action to the appropriate court of this state and shall notify the responding jurisdiction where and when the action was transferred. (e) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), above, if the respondent becomes a resident of another county or jurisdiction after an action or registered order under this chapter has been filed, the action may remain in the county where the action was filed until the action is completed. 5002. (a) In an action pursuant to this chapter prosecuted by the local child support agency or the Attorney General that is initiated by service of summons and petition or other comparable pleading, the respondent may also be served with a proposed judgment consistent with the relief sought in the petition or other comparable pleading. If the respondent's income or income history is unknown to the local child support agency, the local child support agency may serve a form of proposed judgment with the petition and other documents on the respondent that shall inform the respondent that income shall be presumed to be the amount of the minimum wage, at 40 hours per week, established by the Industrial Welfare Commission pursuant to Section 1182.11 of the Labor Code, unless information concerning the respondent's income is provided to the court. The respondent shall also receive notice that the proposed judgment will become effective if he or she fails to file a response with the court within 30 days after service. (b) In any action pursuant to this chapter in which the judgment was obtained pursuant to presumed income, as set forth in this section, the court may set aside that part of the judgment or order concerning the amount of child support to be paid on the grounds specified and in the manner set forth in Section 17432. 5003. The Judicial Council shall adopt court rules implementing the provisions of subdivision (f) of Section 4930 regarding hearings by telephone, audiovisual means, or other electronic means on or before July 1, 2005. Hearings by telephone, audiovisual means, or other electronic means shall also be permitted in child support cases in which the local child support agency is providing child support services, but both of the parents reside in California, provided that the hearings are conducted in accordance with the rules of court adopted pursuant to this section. 5005. When the Attorney General is satisfied that reciprocal provisions will be made by a foreign jurisdiction for the establishment of support orders for obligees in California, or for enforcement of support orders made within this state, the Attorney General may declare the foreign jurisdiction to be a reciprocating state for purposes of establishing and enforcing support obligations. Any such declaration may be revoked by the Attorney General. Any such declaration may be reviewed by the court in an action brought to support a support order, or to enforce the order of a reciprocating jurisdiction.