Spousal Support in Chico and Butte County, California

In Butte County, you file a spousal support request with the Superior Court of California, County of Butte. Family law matters, including support, are heard at the North Butte County Courthouse in Chico. For temporary spousal support, Local Rule 16.12(E)(2) uses the Santa Clara support schedule.

Under that rule, the court usually applies the Santa Clara support schedule to temporary spousal support. The judge can choose not to follow it in a specific case. If either party says the guideline amount is wrong, Local Rule 16.12(E)(3) requires a declaration. The declaration must state the amount that party thinks is proper and explain why the court should depart from the schedule. Any objection must be based on grounds allowed under Family Code section 4057.

Long-term spousal support is decided at the end of a divorce or separation case. It is not controlled by the Santa Clara schedule. Butte County courts apply the statewide Family Code section 4320 factors, including the length of the marriage, each spouse's earning capacity, age and health, and the marital standard of living.

A support request usually starts with a Request for Order (Form FL-300) and a current Income and Expense Declaration. If eligible, a party may use a simplified Financial Statement (Form FL155). Local Rule 16.12(B) requires this financial paperwork at least ten days before the hearing. Butte's Self-Help Resource Program, known as SHARP, has a family law facilitator who can prepare support calculations for a self-represented party at either its Chico or Oroville office.

Where spousal support cases are heard in Butte County

Spousal support matters in Butte County are handled by the Superior Court of California, County of Butte, with the county seat in Oroville. 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 Butte 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 Butte County

Butte County handles family law filings at the North Butte County Courthouse in Chico, not the Oroville courthouse, which primarily handles criminal cases. SHARP, the court's Self-Help Resource Program, has offices at both locations. A party from either end of the county, including Chico, Oroville, Paradise, and Gridley, can use a nearby facilitator office for support paperwork and calculations.

Electronic filing through Odyssey eFileCA is mandatory for all family law matters, including support requests, under the court's e-filing rules. Self-represented parties are exempt from that requirement and may still file on paper. The court still encourages self-represented parties to e-file.

Local Rule 16.12(E)(2) makes the Santa Clara support schedule the usual starting point for temporary spousal support in Butte County. A party who wants a different result should be ready to give a specific reason based on Family Code section 4057. SHARP's family law facilitator can help prepare the required calculation before a hearing. The facilitator can also direct a party to the Income and Expense Declaration or simplified Financial Statement, whichever applies, before the ten-day filing deadline in Local Rule 16.12(B).

A party asking to modify an existing spousal support order in Butte County should expect the same Local Rule 16.12(E)(2) starting point to apply again. The rule covers temporary support generally, not only a first-time request. Keeping a current Income and Expense Declaration on file makes an initial request and a later modification easier to support at the hearing.

Official spousal support resources in Butte County

Butte County Superior Court, North Butte County Courthouse handles spousal-support filings, located at 1 Court St, Chico 95926. Butte County Courthouse at 1 Court St handles Primarily criminal matters, not family law..

The filing fee is $435-$450. E-filing is available through https://www.butte.courts.ca.gov/online-services/efiling-information. Butte County uses Odyssey eFileCA as its electronic filing service. Electronic filing is mandatory for all family law matters, including support, but self-represented parties are exempt from that requirement and are instead encouraged to file electronically.

Butte County Self-Help Resource Program (SHARP) (https://www.butte.courts.ca.gov/self-help/about-sharp) can help with procedure and paperwork. Has offices at both the Chico and Oroville courthouse locations. Employs a family law facilitator who can give legal information and support calculations for child support, spousal support, parentage, and health insurance issues, though staff cannot advise on the specifics of a case. Local Rule 16.12(E)(2) (Child and Spousal Support Proceedings, Support Calculations) applies; see https://www.butte.courts.ca.gov/system/files/local-rules/local-rules-january-2026-final-edit_san.pdf.

• Butte County Superior Court: Family Law
• Butte County Superior Court self-help: SHARP
• Butte County Superior Court: eFiling Information
• Butte County Superior Court Local Rules

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

Butte County Spousal Support FAQs