Request for Order (RFO) for child support, temporary spousal support, and attorney's fees
LAW & MOTION TENTATIVE RULINGS DEPARTMENT 5 April 23, 2026 8:30 AM/1:30 PM
14. KERRI DISNEY V. DOUGLAS DISNEY 26FL0137
Petitioner filed a Request for Order (RFO) seeking child and temporary spousal support orders, as well as a request for attorney’s fees. Petitioner concurrently filed an Income and Expense Declaration. Respondent was served electronically on March 25, 2026. Petitioner is seeking guideline child support. Petitioner is seeking $3,326 in temporary spousal support. Petitioner is also seeking $15,000 in Family Code section 2030 attorney’s fees.
Respondent filed a Responsive Declaration on April 8, 2026. Respondent concurrently filed an Income and Expense Declaration. Respondent requests the court make support orders based on the parties’ actual income; order that Petitioner assume responsibility for the household expenses upon the commencement of the support orders; and deny Petitioner’s request for Family Code section 2030 attorney’s fees.
After reviewing the filings as outlined above, the court is utilizing Respondent’s estimated income for Petitioner and a 0% timeshare for Respondent in calculating support. Utilizing these figures the court finds guideline child support to be $3,250 (see attached Xspouse). The court is ordering Respondent to pay Petitioner $3,250 per month as and for guideline child support, effective May 1, 2026. Future payments are due on the first of each month until further order of the court or termination by operation of law.
The court finds guideline temporary spousal support to be $1,136 per the Alameda formula (see attached Xspouse). The court orders Respondent to pay Petitioner $1,136 per month as and for temporary guideline spousal support, effective May 1, 2026. Payments are due on the first of each month until further order of the court or termination by operation of law.
The court finds Respondent routinely earns bonus income. The court is ordering Petitioner to prepare a bonus income table based on the figures the court has used for the guideline calculations. Respondent is ordered to true up any bonus income on a quarterly basis. Respondent is ordered to provide Petitioner with paystubs on a quarterly basis.
The court is ordering Petitioner to be responsible for the household expenses effective May 1, 2026. The parties are ordered to share in the costs of the minors’ uncovered medical expenses as set forth in the attach FL-192. Further, parties are to share the costs of the minors’ extracurricular activities equally.
LAW & MOTION TENTATIVE RULINGS DEPARTMENT 5 April 23, 2026 8:30 AM/1:30 PM
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Regarding the request for attorney’s fees, the public policy of Family Code section 2030 is to provide “at the outset of litigation, consistent with the financial circumstances of the parties, parity between spouses in their ability to obtain effective legal representation.” In re Marriage of Keech,75 Cal. App. 4th 860, 866 (1999). This ensures each party has access to legal representation to preserve each party’s rights. In the face of a request for attorney’s fees and costs, the court is to make findings on “whether there is a disparity in access to funds to retain counsel, and whether one party is able to pay for legal representation of both parties.” Fam. Code § 2030(a)(2).
The court finds there is a disparity in the parties’ access to funds. Additionally, the court finds that after the order set forth above regarding Petitioner being responsible for the household expenses, Respondent does have the ability to pay for both his and Petitioner’s counsel. The court is ordering Respondent to pay $15,000 to Petitioner as and for attorney’s fees. This amount may be paid in one lump sum, or in monthly payments beginning May 1, 2026 and due on the first of each month until paid in full (approximately 15 months). Respondent is to pay directly to Petitioner’s counsel.
All prior orders not in conflict with this order remain in full force and effect. Petitioner is directed to prepare the Findings and Orders After Hearing (FOAH); however, this order is effective immediately upon the court’s adoption of the tentative ruling and is not conditioned on the preparation of the FOAH.
TENTATIVE RULING #14: AFTER REVIEWING THE FILINGS AS OUTLINED ABOVE, THE COURT IS UTILIZING RESPONDENT’S ESTIMATED INCOME FOR PETITIONER AND A 0% TIMESHARE FOR RESPONDENT IN CALCULATING SUPPORT. UTILIZING THESE FIGURES THE COURT FINDS GUIDELINE CHILD SUPPORT TO BE $3,250 (SEE ATTACHED XSPOUSE). THE COURT IS ORDERING RESPONDENT TO PAY PETITIONER $3,250 PER MONTH AS AND FOR GUIDELINE CHILD SUPPORT, EFFECTIVE MAY 1, 2026. FUTURE PAYMENTS ARE DUE ON THE FIRST OF EACH MONTH UNTIL FURTHER ORDER OF THE COURT OR TERMINATION BY OPERATION OF LAW.
THE COURT FINDS GUIDELINE TEMPORARY SPOUSAL SUPPORT TO BE $1,136 PER THE ALAMEDA FORMULA (SEE ATTACHED XSPOUSE). THE COURT ORDERS RESPONDENT TO PAY PETITIONER $1,136 PER MONTH AS AND FOR TEMPORARY GUIDELINE SPOUSAL SUPPORT, EFFECTIVE MAY 1, 2026. PAYMENTS ARE DUE ON THE FIRST OF EACH MONTH UNTIL FURTHER ORDER OF THE COURT OR TERMINATION BY OPERATION OF LAW.
LAW & MOTION TENTATIVE RULINGS DEPARTMENT 5 April 23, 2026 8:30 AM/1:30 PM
THE COURT FINDS RESPONDENT ROUTINELY EARNS BONUS INCOME. THE COURT IS ORDERING PETITIONER TO PREPARE A BONUS INCOME TABLE BASED ON THE FIGURES THE COURT HAS USED FOR THE GUIDELINE CALCULATIONS. RESPONDENT IS ORDERED TO TRUE UP ANY BONUS INCOME ON A QUARTERLY BASIS. RESPONDENT IS ORDERED TO PROVIDE PETITIONER WITH PAYSTUBS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
THE COURT IS ORDERING PETITIONER TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES EFFECTIVE MAY 1, 2026. THE PARTIES ARE ORDERED TO SHARE IN THE COSTS OF THE MINORS’ UNCOVERED MEDICAL EXPENSES AS SET FORTH IN THE ATTACH FL-192. FURTHER, PARTIES ARE TO SHARE THE COSTS OF THE MINORS’ EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES EQUALLY.
THE COURT FINDS THERE IS A DISPARITY IN THE PARTIES’ ACCESS TO FUNDS. THE COURT FINDS THAT AFTER THE ORDER SET FORTH ABOVE REGARDING PETITIONER BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES, RESPONDENT DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY FOR BOTH HIS AND PETITIONER’S COUNSEL. THE COURT IS ORDERING RESPONDENT TO PAY $15,000 TO PETITIONER AS AND FOR ATTORNEY’S FEES. THIS AMOUNT MAY BE PAID IN ONE LUMP SUM, OR IN MONTHLY PAYMENTS BEGINNING MAY 1, 2026 AND DUE ON THE FIRST OF EACH MONTH UNTIL PAID IN FULL (APPROXIMATELY 15 MONTHS). RESPONDENT IS TO PAY DIRECTLY TO PETITIONER’S COUNSEL.
ALL PRIOR ORDERS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THIS ORDER REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT. PETITIONER IS DIRECTED TO PREPARE THE FINDINGS AND ORDERS AFTER HEARING (FOAH); HOWEVER, THIS ORDER IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UPON THE COURT’S ADOPTION OF THE TENTATIVE RULING AND IS NOT CONDITIONED ON THE PREPARATION OF THE FOAH.
NO HEARING ON THIS MATTER WILL BE HELD UNLESS A REQUEST FOR ORAL ARGUMENT IS TRANSMITTED ELECTRONICALLY THROUGH THE COURT’S WEBSITE OR BY PHONE CALL TO THE COURT AT (530) 621-6725 BY 4:00 P.M. ON THE DAY THE TENTATIVE RULING IS ISSUED. CAL. RULE CT. 3.1308; LOCAL RULE 8.05.07; SEE ALSO LEWIS V. SUPERIOR COURT, 19 CAL.4TH 1232, 1247 (1999). NOTICE TO ALL PARTIES OF A REQUEST FOR ORAL ARGUMENT AND THE GROUNDS UPON WHICH ARGUMENT IS BEING REQUESTED MUST BE MADE BY PHONE CALL OR IN PERSON BY 4:00 P.M. ON THE DAY THE TENTATIVE RULING IS ISSUED. CAL. RULE CT. 3.1308; LOCAL RULE 8.05.07.