What Documents Should I Bring to a Florida Child Support Hearing

What Documents Should I Bring to a Florida Child Support Hearing

What Documents Should I Bring to a Florida Child Support Hearing?

Have you been summoned to court for a Florida Child Support Hearing? Have you asked yourself and others the following question, “What Documents Should I Bring to a Florida Child Support Hearing?” Many respondents (a respondent is the party the Department of Revenue has summoned to court on behalf of the State of Florida, the petitioner, and the minor child(ren)) are unaware of what documents to bring to the child support hearing.

Sometimes, in advance of a Florida Child Support Hearing, the petitioner and/or the Department of Revenue will make a request for production of documents. This request will clearly state the documents you shall/must bring to the hearing. In the absence of such a request, many respondents ask the above question, “What Documents Should I Bring to a Florida Child Support Hearing?” As a matter of practicality, it is recommended you bring a copy of your Financial Affidavit (short form for under $50,000 in income and long form for incomes greater than $50,000), your six mots recent pay stubs, your last 3 years of tax returns, and any other documents that may provide the DOR with your true and accurate income. If you have recently been terminated from your employment, bring a notice of termination. If you have daycare expenses and medical expenses for your child(ren) and medical expenses for yourself, furnish those records to the hearing officer or the DOR attorney if you wish to have those records considered in the child support calculations. Also bring records of any child support payments you have already made to the petitioner, as you will likely be credited for those payments. This is a non-exhaustive list of the documents you should consider bringing to a Florida Child Support Hearing.

Florida Child Support Hearing

Florida Child Support Hearing

Consider two hypothetical child support hearing scenarios. In hypothetical scenario 1, the petitioner fails to appear before the court for his/her own child support hearing. This may cause the respondent to avoid a full hearing and obtain a more favorable child support payment plan (as long as they are truthful and forthright with the court). It is possible that fewer documents will be required. However, litigants should prepare for hypothetical scenario 2, as it is always best to be prepared for court proceedings to the fullest extent possible. In hypothetical scenario 2, both petitioner and respondent appear before the hearing officer, and due to their disputed facts, the parties go to a Florida child support hearing. In this case, having originally asked “What Documents Should I Bring to a Florida Child Support Hearing,” and planned to the fullest extent, an evidentiary hearing should include all relevant documents to ensure fairness and accuracy in the child support calculations (arrearages, and future payments).

Alternatively, to obtain  some guidance, however limited, litigants may call the Clerk of the Family Law Court in your jurisdiction to ask questions, though because they are not acting in the capacity of an attorney, they are likely unable to provide you with legal advice. The Jacobs Law Firm generally practices in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Lake County(ies) and is happy to provide you with guidance in the role of a consultant, or with legal help should you choose to hire a child support attorney to attend the child support hearing Florida on your behalf as your trusted legal advocate.