Legal Question in Family Law in California
can i establish a childsupp. order if my child is over 18?The father came here from texas to san diego superior court to get legal custody of him when my son was 2 years old. the judge dismissed case so i raised him up here for 18 years. he never paid any support.Can i establish a case and ask for back support for 18 years as well? thanks so much: Adel
2 Answers from Attorneys
Once the child turns 18 and is not in high school, the court no longer has jurisdiction to award support. You cannot go retroactively and seek support if you don't have existing support orders. If the child still is in high school( up to the age of 19 )support can be paid if you quickly get an order. If you're not certain as to your legal rights, please meet with an experienced family law attorney to explore your legal options.