Alison Sonsini v. Alex Turner
Case Information
Motion(s)
Judgment enforcement; Modification of child support add-on expenses; Guideline child support; Attorney's fees and costs
Motion Type Tags
Other · Motion for Attorney Fees
Parties
- Plaintiff: Alison Sonsini
- Defendant: Alex Turner
Ruling
1 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA 2 COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO 3 UNIFIED FAMILY COURT 4
5) 6 ALISON SONSINI,) Case Number: FDI-17-787486) 7 Petitioner) Hearing Date: May 14, 2026) 8 VS.) Hearing Time: 9:00 AM) 9 ALEX TURNER,) Department: 403) 10 Respondent) Presiding: BOBBY P. LUNA) 11) 12 REQUEST FOR ORDER RE CHANGE OF CHILD SUPPORT, ATTORNEY FEES AND COSTS, 13 ENFORCEMENT/MODIFICATION OF JUDGMENT 14 TENTATIVE RULING 15 Having read and considered the pleadings, declarations, and other evidence submitted in this matter, the 16 Court makes the following findings and orders: 17 A. Procedural History 18 1) The parties are Petitioner Alison Sonsini and Respondent Alex Turner. 19 2) On 3/20/18, Judgment on Reserved Issues was entered. 20 3) On 7/14/25, Petitioner filed and served a Request for Production of an Income and Expense 21 Declaration After Judgment. 22 4) On 12/8/25, Petitioner filed an Income and Expense Declaration. 23 5) On 12/16/25, Petitioner filed a Request for Order and supportive declaration (file dated 12/8/25) 24 seeking: (a) judgment enforcement of section 5.4 (of the Judgment on Reserved Issues) which 25 requires Respondent to pay one-half of the children’s uninsured medical and dental expenses, 26 including therapy and counseling, in excess of $5,000 per year from the date of judgment, with 27 Respondent responsible for fees and costs to retain a joint neutral accountant to determine the 28 amount owed; (b) modification of child support add-on expenses such that each party is 29 responsible for one-half of the children’s uninsured medical and dental expenses, including
1 therapy and counseling, and mutually agreed-upon extracurricular expenses moving forward (see 2 section 5.4 and section 5.6 of the Judgment on Reserved Issues); (c) Respondent to pay guideline 3 child support in the amount of $2,576 per month retroactive to 11/1/25 (pursuant to a signed 4 Stipulation and Order (see Exhibit D)); and (d) $11,600 in attorney’s fees and costs pursuant to 5 section 10.2 of the Judgment on Reserved Issues and Family Code section 2030 and section 271. 6 Petitioner asserts that Respondent was a writer earning no income at the time judgment was 7 entered and now works as a Strategic ISV Specialist at Google, where he has worked since 8 September 2020 (see Exhibit B).
Petitioner further asserts that Respondent’s 2024 tax return 9 showed a total annual income of $520,736 including interest and dividends. Petitioner attached as 10 Exhibit C a proposed XSpouse calculation. 11 6) On 12/23/25, Petitioner filed a Proof of Personal Service indicating Respondent was served with 12 Petitioner’s Request for Order and supportive documents on 12/18/25. 13 7) Respondent did not file a Responsive Declaration. 14 8) At the prior 3/17/26 hearing, the Court adopted its Tentative Ruling on the basis that no timely 15 objection was received.
See Findings and Order After Hearing (FOAH) filed 4/1/26. 16 9) On 3/23/26, Petitioner filed an Ex Parte Request for Order requesting the Court vacate the 17 3/17/26 FOAH (filed 4/1/26) and set the Request for Order filed 12/16/25 for hearing on 5/14/26. 18 10) On 3/23/26, Respondent filed a Responsive Declaration to Petitioner’s Ex Parte Request for 19 Order consenting to the request for the Court vacate to the 3/17/26 FOAH (filed 4/1/26) and set 20 the Request for Order filed 12/16/25 for hearing on 5/14/26. 21 11) On 3/23/26, the Court issued Temporary Emergency (Ex Parte) Orders vacating the 3/17/26 22 FOAH (filed 4/1/26) and setting the Request for Order filed 12/16/25 for hearing on 5/14/26. 23 12) No additional pleadings were filed by either party. 24 B.
Findings and Order 25 1) The Court confirms that under section 5.4 of the Judgment on Reserved Issues filed 3/20/18, 26 Respondent is responsible for one-half of the children’s uninsured medical and dental expenses, 27 including therapy and counseling, in excess of $5,000 per year from the date of judgment. Section 28 5.4 states, “The parties shall comply with the Notice of Rights and Responsibilities Healthcare 29 Costs and Reimbursement Procedures attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference.”
1 2) The Court was not presented with documentary evidence that Petitioner complied with the 2 procedure set forth in the Notice of Rights and Responsibilities Healthcare Costs and 3 Reimbursement Procedures (i.e., form FL-192) requiring Petitioner to present Respondent 4 itemized notice within 90 days of incurring costs and proof of payment. 5 3) Accordingly, Petitioner’s request for judgment enforcement of section 5.4 of the Judgment on 6 Reserved Issues which requires Respondent to pay one-half of the children’s uninsured medical 7 and dental expenses, including therapy and counseling, in excess of $5,000 per year from the date 8 of judgment, with Respondent responsible for fees and costs to retain a joint neutral accountant to 9 determine the amount owed is DENIED. 10 4) Petitioner’s request for modification of child support add-on expenses such that each party is 11 responsible for one-half of the children’s uninsured medical and dental expenses, including 12 therapy and counseling, and mutually agreed-upon extracurricular expenses moving forward is 13 GRANTED. 14 5) Moving forward, the parties shall share equally the following add-on expenses: childcare costs 15 related to employment or to reasonably necessary education or training for employment skills, 16 reasonable uninsured healthcare costs for the minor child, and the reasonable costs associated 17 with mutually agreed upon extracurricular activities.
Neither party shall unreasonably withhold 18 consent for a child to participate in an activity. The procedure to make or pay a reimbursement 19 claim for these child support add-ons shall be as set forth in the Notice of Rights and 20 Responsibilities Healthcare Costs and Reimbursement Procedures (i.e., form FL-192). 21 6) Petitioner’s request for Respondent to pay guideline child support in the amount of $2,576 per 22 month retroactive to 11/1/25 (pursuant to a signed Stipulation and Order (see Exhibit D of 23 Petitioner’s 12/16/25 Request for Order)) is GRANTED. 24 7) The Court finds: (a) a material change in circumstances warranting a modification of section 5.1 25 (which states neither party shall pay child support to the other party) based on Petitioner’s 26 unrefuted assertion that Respondent was a writer earning no income at the time judgment was 27 entered but now works as a Strategic ISV Specialist at Google and earned a total income of 28 $520,736 including interest and dividends per his 2024 tax returns; and (b) Exhibit D of 29
1 Petitioner’s 12/16/25 Request for Order is a signed Stipulation and Order wherein the parties 2 agree to retroactive modification of child support to 11/1/25. 3 8) The Court further finds good cause to adopt Petitioner’s XSpouse calculation attached as Exhibit 4 C to Petitioner’s 12/16/25 Request for Order, which is attached hereto and incorporated herein. 5 9) As such, effective 11/1/25, Respondent owes Petitioner $2,576 per month in guideline monthly 6 child support by the 1st of every month. 7 10) Respondent owes Petitioner $18,032 in guideline monthly child support arrears for the period of 8 11/1/25 – 5/31/26 ($2,576 x 7).
Respondent shall pay this balance in full by 6/14/26. 9 11) Petitioner’s request for $11,600 in attorney’s fees and costs pursuant to section 10.2 of the 10 parties’ judgment is GRANTED. 11 12) Section 10.2 states, “ In the event that either Party takes any action against the other Party 12 regarding this Agreement and the Court finds that the Party bringing the action had no reasonable 13 purpose for bringing the action, then the Party in whose favor the action is determined shall be 14 entitled to receive from the other Party such reasonable attorney’s fees And costs in respect of sad 15 action and all litigation costs such as expert witness fees, depositions and other costs of discovery 16 and the like shall be fixed by the Court.
No action shall be brought by either Party hereto without 17 at least a period of then (10) days written notice being given by the Party intending to bring such 18 action.” 19 13) Respondent shall pay the $11,600 attorney’s fees balance in full by 7/14/26. 20 14) Counsel for Petitioner shall prepare the Findings and Order After Hearing and include as 21 attachments form FL-342 and form FL-192. 22 15) Preparation of Order: If you are directed by the court to prepare the order after hearing – within 23 10 calendar days of the hearing you must either: (a) Serve the proposed order to the other 24 party/counsel for approval, and follow the procedures set forth in CA Rules of Court, Rule 25 5.125(c), or (b) If the other party did not appear or the matter was uncontested, submit the 26 proposed order after hearing directly to the court.
Failure to submit the order after hearing within 27 10 days may allow the other party to prepare a proposed order and submit it to the court in 28 accordance with CA Rules of Court, Rule 5.125(d). 29