Get a child support order

To get a child support order, you need to file a complaint (a written request of what you're seeking) in court. Start in the Registry of the Probate and Family Court for the county where you live.

If you're married to the other parent

If you're married and seeking a divorce, you file where you last lived together with your spouse if at least one of you still lives in that county. If you've both moved from the county where you last lived together, then you can file in the county where either you or your spouse now lives.

• If you're seeking a divorce, see divorce for information and forms.
• If you want to file for separate support but don't want a divorce, see separate support for information and forms.

If you aren't married to the other parent

If you aren't married to the other parent the other parent hasn't signed a voluntary acknowledgement of paternity (a legal form signed by the mother and father, acknowledging they are the parents of the child) or been determined by a judge to be the parent, file a Complaint to Establish Paternity (CJD 106) in the county where the child lives. See Instructions: Complaint to establish paternity for more information.

If you aren't married to the other parent but paternity has been established by a voluntary acknowledgment or a court judgment, you must file a Complaint for Custody, Support, Parenting Time:

Required at initial filing for Custody, Support, Parenting Time:

• Complaint for Support-Custody-Parenting Time (CJD 109)
• Child Care or Custody Disclosure Affidavit. In cases involving a child, use this form to tell the court about any other open or closed cases involving the child.  You must file the Affidavit in cases involving the care, custody, visitation, or change of name of a child.  See Trial Court Rule IV for more details. 
• Supplemental Child Care or Custody Disclosure Affidavit. In cases involving more than 4 children, use this form along with the Child Care or Custody Affidavit for additional space to tell the court about any other open or closed cases.  See Trial Court Rule IV for more details. 
• If plaintiff has an attorney: Uniform Counsel Certification Form (CCF)
  • Instructions on Uniform Counsel Certification Form

Additional filings for Custody, Support, Parenting Time: 

These forms are not required at initial filing. These forms may need to be filed before the court can give you a hearing date or have your case heard by a judge. The division where you file can help answer questions on when these forms should be filed.

• Certified Copy of Birth Certificate OR signed Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage Form OR Certified Copy of Adjudication of Parentage
  • Strongly recommended at time of initial filing
• If child support is being addressed:
  • Financial Statement
  • Child support guidelines worksheet (CJD-304)
  • Findings and Determinations for Child Support and Post-Secondary Education (CJD 305)
• Military Affidavit when the defendant does not file an answer or appearance, or not appear on the hearing date. If you do not have a lawyer and are representing yourself in a case, use the Military Affidavit Instructions for Self-Represented Litigants to help you fill out the Military Affidavit form.

Special circumstances

Regardless of whether you're married or unmarried, you may also need to file:

• The Motion for Temporary Orders (CJD-400) (i.e. child custody, child support, spousal support, etc.) if you need a court order quickly. Fill in what you want the court to order. With this, you also need an Affidavit, where you explain to the judge what happened and when, and a Proposed Order. See Request an immediate child custody or parenting time order for more information.
• The Affidavit of Indigency and Supplement if you can't afford the fees. See indigency (waiver of court fees) for more information.

To get a copy of your child support order, contact the Probate and Family Court that issued it.