Spousal Support in Salinas and Monterey County, California

In Monterey County, you file a spousal support request with the Superior Court of California, County of Monterey. The case is heard at the Marina Courthouse. For temporary spousal support, Monterey County usually uses Santa Clara County's Temporary Spousal Support Guidelines under Local Rule 10.3(B). It does not use its own local formula.

Spousal support in a Monterey County case has two types. Temporary support applies while a divorce or separation case is still pending. Monterey's court uses the Santa Clara guideline unless a party shows good cause for a different amount. Long-term or permanent spousal support is decided at the end of the case. California does not set that support by formula. The court uses the factors in Family Code section 4320, including the length of the marriage, each spouse's earning capacity, age and health, and the standard of living during the marriage.

Most support requests start with a Request for Order (Form FL-300) and a current Income and Expense Declaration (Form FL-150). You file them with the Monterey County Superior Court. The Self-Help Center has locations in Monterey, Salinas, and King City. Staff can help self-represented parties with those forms and court procedure. They cannot calculate a support number for you or tell you what result to expect.

Monterey County covers a wide area, from the Salinas Valley to the Monterey Peninsula. Before you file, confirm the right courthouse and current filing procedure through the official California Courts court finder.

Where spousal support cases are heard in Monterey County

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

Monterey County Superior Court hears family law support matters at the Marina Courthouse. The court's family and child custody page says the family and child support calendar is set for Tuesdays. Electronic filing is available through Journal Technologies, the court's eFiling service provider. It resumed for all case types in January 2026 as part of the court's eCourt system conversion. Self-represented parties who cannot e-file may still file by mail, drop box, or in person at any courthouse location.

Local Rule 10.3(B) tells the court to use the Santa Clara guideline for temporary spousal support. A party preparing for a temporary support hearing should expect the judge to start with that guideline calculation. The court can use a different amount for good cause. Long-term support after judgment is still based on the full Family Code section 4320 factors, not a guideline number.

The Self-Help Center has three locations, in Monterey, Salinas, and King City. Parties from either end of the county can get procedural help with the FL-150 and other support paperwork. None of the three locations can calculate your support amount or represent you at the hearing.

Official spousal support resources in Monterey County

Monterey County Superior Court, Marina Courthouse handles spousal-support filings, located at 3180 Del Monte Blvd, Marina 93933.

The filing fee is $435-$450. E-filing is available through https://www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/online-services/electronic-filing-e-filing. The court uses Journal Technologies as its eFiling service provider. Electronic filing resumed for all case types in January 2026 as part of the court's eCourt conversion. Filing electronically is encouraged but self-represented parties who are unable to e-file may still file by mail, drop box, or in person.

Monterey County Superior Court Self-Help Center (https://www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/self-help) can help with procedure and paperwork. Operates out of three locations, Monterey, Salinas, and King City. Can help with forms and procedure, including the FL-150 Income and Expense Declaration used in support requests, but cannot calculate a party's support number or give legal advice. Local Rule 10.3(B) (Child and Spousal Support) applies; see https://www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/system/files/local-rules/1123_local-rules_ch10_1.pdf.

• Monterey County Superior Court: Self-Help
• Monterey County Superior Court: Family and Child Custody
• Monterey County Superior Court: Electronic Filing
• Monterey County Superior Court Local Rules, Chapter 10

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

Monterey County Spousal Support FAQs