Request for Order (RFO) seeking child support, temporary spousal support, and attorney's fees
LAW & MOTION TENTATIVE RULINGS DEPARTMENT 5 May 28, 2026 8:30 AM/1:30 PM
3. MEGAN BLEDSOE V. GRANT BLEDSOE 26FL0012
Petitioner filed a Request for Order (RFO) on February 25, 2026, requesting the court make child and temporary spousal support orders as well as Family Code section 2030 attorney’s fees. Petitioner concurrently filed an Income and Expense Declaration. Respondent was served by first class mail on February 27th.
Respondent filed a Responsive Declaration and Income and Expense Declaration on May 14, 2026. Petitioner was served on the same day.
Petitioner is seeking guideline child support as well as temporary spousal support. Petitioner request the parties share equally in the cost of childcare and extracurricular activities as well as any unreimbursed medical expenses. Petitioner is also seeking $10,000 in Family Code section 2030 attorney’s fees.
Respondent submits on the request for guideline child support, however, he requests the court utilize his proposed X-Spouse calculation. Respondent objects to temporary guideline spousal support, as he asserts Petitioner failed to include an FL-157 in her pleadings. If the court is not inclined to deny temporary guideline spousal support, Respondent requests the court utilize his proposed calculations. Respondent also states he has been providing voluntary support in the amount of $5,000 per month. Last, Respondent objects to the court ordering Family Code section 2030 attorney’s fees, as he asserts Petitioner has sufficient access to funds to pay for her own counsel.
The court has read and considered the filings as outlined above. First, the court finds Petitioner is not required to file an FL-157, as this is an initial request for temporary guideline spousal support and the FL-157 is only required for a post-judgment change in support.
Utilizing the figures from the parties’ Income and Expense Declarations with a 50% timeshare to each party, the court finds guideline child support to be $3,418 per month (see attached X-Spouse) payable from Respondent to Petitioner. The court orders Respondent to pay Petitioner $3,418 as and for guideline child support effective March 1, 2026, and payable on the first of each month until further order of the court or termination by operation of law.
In addition to the foregoing monthly support payments, the parties are ordered to equally share in any uninsured medical care costs for the children, childcare costs when such costs are incurred as a result of employment or necessary education for employment,
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LAW & MOTION TENTATIVE RULINGS DEPARTMENT 5 May 28, 2026 8:30 AM/1:30 PM
and agreed upon extracurricular activities. The parties are ordered to follow the procedures as set forth in the attached FL-192.
The court finds temporary guideline spousal support to be $1,895 per the Alameda Formula, payable from Respondent to Petitioner. The court orders Respondent to pay Petitioner $1,895 per month as and for temporary guideline spousal support effective March 1, 2026, with payments due on the first of each month until further order of the court or termination by operation of law.
The court finds the total amount of support based on the above orders to be $5,313. The court finds this results in an arrears balance of $939, when crediting Respondent for the monthly voluntary payments of $5,000. Respondent is ordered to pay Petitioner $939 in full on June 15, 2026, or in monthly payments of $313 with the first payment due on June 15, 2026, and further payments due on the 15th of each month until paid in full (approximately three months). If any payment is missed or late the full amount shall become immediately due and owing.
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 that while there is a disparity in income between the parties, that Petitioner has access to funds to pay her counsel. Specifically, Petitioner identifies cash as well as stocks, bonds, other assets she could easily sell that are available to pay attorney’s fees. As such, Petitioner’s request for Family Code section 2030 attorney’s fees is denied without prejudice.
All prior orders not in conflict with these orders 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 #3: THE COURT FINDS GUIDELINE CHILD SUPPORT TO BE $3,418 PER MONTH (SEE ATTACHED X-SPOUSE) PAYABLE FROM RESPONDENT TO
LAW & MOTION TENTATIVE RULINGS DEPARTMENT 5 May 28, 2026 8:30 AM/1:30 PM
PETITIONER. THE COURT ORDERS RESPONDENT TO PAY PETITIONER $3,418 AS AND FOR GUIDELINE CHILD SUPPORT EFFECTIVE MARCH 1, 2026, AND PAYABLE ON THE FIRST OF EACH MONTH UNTIL FURTHER ORDER OF THE COURT OR TERMINATION BY OPERATION OF LAW.
IN ADDITION TO THE FOREGOING MONTHLY SUPPORT PAYMENTS, THE PARTIES ARE ORDERED TO EQUALLY SHARE IN ANY UNINSURED MEDICAL CARE COSTS FOR THE CHILDREN, CHILDCARE COSTS WHEN SUCH COSTS ARE INCURRED AS A RESULT OF EMPLOYMENT OR NECESSARY EDUCATION FOR EMPLOYMENT, AND AGREED UPON EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. THE PARTIES ARE ORDERED TO FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES AS SET FORTH IN THE ATTACHED FL-192.
THE COURT FINDS TEMPORARY GUIDELINE SPOUSAL SUPPORT TO BE $1895 PER THE ALAMEDA FORMULA, PAYABLE FROM RESPONDENT TO PETITIONER. THE COURT ORDERS RESPONDENT TO PAY PETITIONER $1,895 PER MONTH AS AND FOR TEMPORARY GUIDELINE SPOUSAL SUPPORT EFFECTIVE MARCH 1, 2026, WITH PAYMENTS DUE ON THE FIRST OF EACH MONTH UNTIL FURTHER ORDER OF THE COURT OR TERMINATION BY OPERATION OF LAW.
THE COURT FINDS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF SUPPORT BASED ON THE ABOVE ORDERS TO BE $5,313. THE COURT FINDS THIS RESULTS IN AN ARREARS BALANCE OF $939, WHEN CREDITING RESPONDENT FOR THE MONTHLY VOLUNTARY PAYMENT OF $5,000. RESPONDENT IS ORDERED TO PAY PETITIONER $939 IN FULL ON JUNE 15, 2026, OR IN MONTHLY PAYMENTS OF $313 WITH THE FIRST PAYMENT DUE ON JUNE 15, 2026, AND FURTHER PAYMENTS DUE ON THE 15TH OF EACH MONTH UNTIL PAID IN FULL (APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS). IF ANY PAYMENT IS MISSED OR LATE THE FULL AMOUNT SHALL BECOME IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING.
THE COURT FINDS THAT WHILE THERE IS A DISPARITY IN INCOME BETWEEN THE PARTIES, THAT PETITIONER HAS ACCESS TO FUNDS TO PAY HER COUNSEL. SPECIFICALLY, PETITIONER IDENTIFIES CASH AS WELL AS STOCKS, BONDS, OTHER ASSETS SHE COULD EASILY SELL THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY ATTORNEY’S FEES. AS SUCH, PETITIONER’S REQUEST FOR FAMILY CODE SECTION 2030 ATTORNEY’S FEES IS DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
ALL PRIOR ORDERS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THESE ORDERS REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT. PETITIONER IS DIRECTED TO PREPARE THE FINDINGS AND ORDERS AFTER HEARING (FOAH); HOWEVER THIS ORDER IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY
LAW & MOTION TENTATIVE RULINGS DEPARTMENT 5 May 28, 2026 8:30 AM/1:30 PM
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.
5/20/26, 12:40 PM GuidelineSummary.html New Case Xspouse 2026-1-CA
2026 Guideline Summary Monthly Figures Fixed Shares Father Mother Monthly Figures Cash Flow Number of children 0 3 2026 Combined net spendable 19111 Percent time with NCP 49.99% 0.00% Filing status MFJIN MFJIN Father Nets (adjusted) Payment cost/benefit -5313 Number of exemptions 2 3 Wages and salary 15000 5184 Father 15787 Net spendable income 10474 Self employed income 0 0 Mother 3324 Federal income tax 2946 Other taxable income 7000 0 Total 19111 Federal employment tax 1148 TANF CS received 0 0 Support State income tax 1218 Other nontaxable income 0 0 Addons 0 State employment tax 195 New spouse income 0 0 Guideln CS 3418 Total taxes 5507 Employee 401-k contribution 0 0 Alameda SS 1895 Federal filing status MFJIN Adjustments to income 0 0 Total 5313 State filing status MFJIN SS paid prev marriage 0 0 Mother CS paid prev marriage 0 0 Payment cost/benefit 5313 Health insurance 706 0 Net spendable income 8637 Other medical expenses 0 0 Federal income tax 694 Property tax expenses 944 0 Federal employment tax 397 Ded interest expense 1456 0 State income tax 287 Contribution deduction 0 0 State employment tax 67 Misc tax deductions 0 0 Total taxes 1445 Qualified business income deduction 0 0 Federal filing status MFJIN Required union dues 0 0 State filing status MFJIN Mandatory retirement 0 415 Hardship deduction 0 0 Other GDL deductions 0 0 Child care expenses 0 0
FC 4055 checking: ON Per Child Information DOB Timeshare cce(F) cce(M) Addons Payor Basic CS Payor Pres CS Payor All children 50 - 50 0 0 0 Father 3,418 Father 3,418 Father 0000-00-00 49 - 51 0 0 0 Father 684 Father 684 Father 0000-00-00 49 - 51 0 0 0 Father 1,025 Father 1,025 Father 0000-00-00 49 - 51 0 0 0 Father 1,709 Father 1,709 Father
Superior Court of California County of El Dorado
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