• Your child has a legal right to financial support from both parents.
• Each parent has a legal responsibility to support his or her children.

• In most cases, the judge will allow you to have a paternity test if you ask for one.  The judge will decide who pays for the test. 
• If the D.C. government (Office of the Attorney General, Child Support Services Division) filed the support case, the court might require them to pay for the test initially, but then might later require you to pay for the test if you are found to be the father.
• If the mother is the one who filed for support, the court might order her to pay the cost, or might divide the cost between the two of you.

The amount of child support is usually determined by using the D.C. Child Support Guideline, which means that everyone in the exact same financial and custodial situation as you would pay or receive the same amount of child support. 

• To help you figure out what amount is fair in your case, you can use the Child Support Guideline calculator at:   http://www.dccourts.gov/dccourts/superior/family/paternity.jsp 
• The Child Support Guideline amount can be adjusted higher or lower if
  · The child has extraordinary expenses (medical care, special schooling) or
  · The parent has extraordinary needs (medical care)
  

• If the parents are sharing physical custody and the child spends 40% or more of his or her time with each parent, one parent might still pay some child support, but the amount could be different from what the Child Support Guideline calculator shows.
• If your incomes are about the same, and the child spends about the same amount of time with each of you, probably neither of you will pay or receive child support.
  

• That parent is still entitled to visit the child according to the court order.
• You can file a Motion for Contempt for Child Support Order asking the Court to make him or her pay. Click here for a Motion for Contempt you can fill out online.  (You will still need to file it with the court.)

• You are still entitled to visit your child according to the court order.
• You must continue to pay what the court ordered until the court changes its order. 
• If you do not pay what the court ordered, the judge could find you in contempt for disobeying its order, and might order you to pay a fine, spend time in jail and/or have your wages garnished.
  

• You can file a Motion to Modify Child Support Order if your or the other parent?s financial circumstances have changed.  This Motion could be to
• Increase Child Support
• Decrease Child Support
• Suspend Child Support (for example, if you were temporarily laid off) or
• Terminate Child Support
• Click here for a Motion to Modify Child Support that you can fill out online. (You will still need to file it with the court.)
• If the judge grants your request, the change will only take effect back to the date you filed the motion, NOT back to the date the change occurred.  It is important to file a Motion to Modify right away if there is a change in your circumstances.

• The Child Support Guideline takes into account the cost of living.  High monthly expenses or debts will not generally reduce the amount of support your children are entitled to.  The Court will consider if you have extraordinary medical bills
• The Child Support Guideline does take into account the children?s daycare and health insurance expenses, so you can bring proof of those expenses to court with you.

• You can only stop paying after you have a court order telling you that you may stop.
• You can file a Motion to Terminate Child Support or a Motion to Modify Child Support, explaining to the court how the circumstances have changed.  You should do this as soon as possible because the change will only take effect back to the date you filed the motion, NOT back to the date the change occurred. 
• Click here for a Motion to Modify Child Support that you can fill out online.  You will still need to file it at court.

• Usually not.  If you are paying into the court, any money you give directly to the other parent will be considered a gift. 
• If the other parent signs and files an affidavit telling the court that he/she received the support payment directly from you, the court will probably give you credit.

Where can I find other pleadings for child support and paternity cases?