Spousal Support in Alpine County, California

Spousal support cases in Alpine County are filed with the Superior Court of California, County of Alpine, at 14777 State Route 89 in Markleeville. Markleeville is the county's only town of any size and its county seat. Alpine is the least populous county in California, with no incorporated cities. Its court is by far the smallest in the state and serves a tiny, largely seasonal population rather than a large number of family law cases.

Because Alpine County does not support electronic filing for any case type, including family law, a spousal support request must be filed in person at the Markleeville courthouse, by fax at one dollar per page with a 20-page maximum, or by mail to P.O. Box 518, Markleeville, CA 96120. A request while a case is pending is generally made on Form FL-300, Request for Order, together with a completed FL-150 Income and Expense Declaration. California Rule of Court 5.92 requires at least 16 court days notice of the hearing, with a response due at least 9 court days beforehand.

Alpine County calculates temporary spousal support like every other California court, using a certified guideline program. DissoMaster was discontinued as of April 1, 2025, so the court now uses XSpouse or a comparable Judicial Council-certified program to determine the temporary amount based on each party's income.

For long-term support, Alpine County judges apply the factors in Family Code section 4320 rather than a formula. They consider the length of the marriage, each spouse's earning capacity, age, health, and the standard of living during the marriage.

Where spousal support cases are heard in Alpine County

Spousal support matters in Alpine County are handled by the Superior Court of California, County of Alpine, with the county seat in Markleeville. Because courthouse locations, hours, and local procedures change over time, use the official California Courts court finder to confirm current details for your case:

Find the Alpine County Superior Court (official California Courts finder)

How spousal support works in California

California distinguishes between temporary spousal support, ordered while a case is pending, and long-term spousal support, ordered at judgment. For temporary support, many counties, including some large ones, have adopted a local guideline formula (commonly run through software like DissoMaster or XSpouse) that produces a presumptive number; other counties leave temporary support to the judge's discretion without a local formula.

Long-term spousal support, by contrast, has no formula anywhere in California. A judge weighs the factors in Family Code section 4320, including each spouse's earning capacity, the marital standard of living, the length of the marriage, and the supported spouse's ability to become self-supporting. Spousal support is requested with a Request for Order (Form FL-300) and an Income and Expense Declaration (Form FL-150), inside a divorce or legal separation case.

Local notes for Alpine County

Alpine County Superior Court's counter hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Anything submitted after 4:00 p.m. is treated as filed the following business day. Because there is no e-filing option, plan your spousal support filing around these in-person hours, or use fax or mail filing if you cannot travel to Markleeville.

Free legal aid is offered at the courthouse on the third Thursday of each month. This can help with a spousal support question, but you should confirm availability and eligibility directly with the court because schedules for a service this small can change.

Given Alpine's tiny size and seasonal population, confirm current hours and any temporary closures before making the trip to Markleeville. This is especially helpful if you are traveling through mountain terrain that can be affected by weather.

If the filing fee is a hardship, Form FW-001 lets you request a waiver. This is the same statewide process used in every California county, including Alpine. Family Code section 4325 also matters if domestic violence is part of your case, since it creates a rebuttable presumption against a spousal support award to a spouse convicted of a qualifying domestic violence offense against the other spouse within the five years before filing.

Official spousal support resources in Alpine County

Superior Court of California, County of Alpine handles spousal-support filings, located at 14777 State Route 89, Markleeville 96120. Phone: (530) 694-2113.

The filing fee is $435. Alpine County Superior Court does not support e-filing for any case type, including family law. Filing methods are in-person, by fax ($1.00 per page, 20-page maximum), or by mail to P.O. Box 518, Markleeville, CA 96120.

Alpine County Self-Help Services (https://www.alpine.courts.ca.gov/divisions/family-law) can help with procedure and paperwork. Self-help staff can assist with forms but cannot give legal advice or represent parties. Free legal aid is available at the courthouse on the third Thursday of each month.

• Alpine Superior Court: Family Law
• Alpine Superior Court: Location
• California Courts: Spousal or Partner Support (self-help)
• Family Code section 4320 (long-term support factors)

Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.

Alpine County Spousal Support FAQs