Spousal Support in Sacramento County, California

Spousal support requests in Sacramento County are filed with the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento. They are heard at the William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse, the court's family law and probate courthouse at 3341 Power Inn Road in Sacramento. The same courthouse hears every other family law matter countywide, including cases involving someone living in Sacramento, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, Folsom, or Rancho Cordova.

As in every California county, Sacramento treats temporary spousal support and long term spousal support differently. Temporary spousal support is requested while a case is still open. Long term spousal support is decided at the end of a case. A request for temporary support is typically made using Form FL-300, Request for Order, along with a completed Form FL-150, Income and Expense Declaration, both filed at the William R. Ridgeway courthouse. Courts commonly run the income figures from FL-150 through a support calculation program such as DissoMaster to reach a proposed temporary support number. The final decision remains with the judge.

Unlike Alameda County, which has adopted its own named local guideline formula for temporary spousal support, Sacramento's publicly available materials do not point to a distinctly named local formula. The county's approach appears to rely on the general California guideline calculation tools and statutory framework rather than a separate, county-specific rule. Anyone with a pending case should confirm this directly with the Family Law Facilitator's Office or the court's current local rules before assuming how a temporary request will be calculated.

Long term spousal support is not based on a formula. Under Family Code section 4320, a judge weighs a list of statutory factors, including the length of the marriage, each spouse's earning capacity and ability to become self-supporting, age and health, and the standard of living established during the marriage. That statute applies identically in Sacramento County and everywhere else in California.

Where spousal support cases are heard in Sacramento County

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

The William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse houses both the Family Law and Probate Divisions. It also houses the Self-Help Center, the Office of Family Court Services, and the Family Law Facilitator's Office. Spousal support paperwork, hearings, and self-help assistance are handled at the same 3341 Power Inn Road location instead of being split across separate buildings.

The Family Law & Probate Self-Help Center, on the third floor in Room 314, is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30am to 4pm and Friday from 8:30am to noon. Staff there can help with completing Form FL-150 and explain the general steps for requesting spousal support. The court also runs a One Day Divorce program for cases that are ready for a judge to finalize the same day, though eligibility has to be confirmed through the self-help center's e-correspondence system first.

Sacramento's general e-filing page lists civil, criminal, probate, small claims, and unlawful detainer cases with available electronic filing service providers. It does not list family law as one of the e-filing case categories. Anyone hoping to e-file a request for order involving spousal support should confirm current availability with the clerk before assuming it works the same way as in counties that have mandatory or optional family law e-filing.

Official spousal support resources in Sacramento County

William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse handles spousal-support filings, located at 3341 Power Inn Road, Sacramento 95826. Phone: 916-875-3400.

The filing fee is $435. The court's general e-filing page lists civil, criminal, probate, small claims, and unlawful detainer as case types with electronic filing service providers; family law is not listed as an e-filing case category on that page, so e-filing availability for family law requests should be confirmed directly with the court or clerk before relying on it.

Family Law & Probate Self-Help Center and Family Law Facilitator's Office (https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/self-help/family-law-probate-self-help-center) can help with procedure and paperwork. Located on the third floor, Room 314, of the William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse. Open Monday through Thursday 8:30am to 4pm and Friday 8:30am to 12pm. Offers help with forms and general procedure, including a One Day Divorce program for cases ready for same-day judgment, but does not give legal advice. Local Rules (complete, effective July 1, 2026) (Sacramento County Superior Court Local Rules) applies; see https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/general-information/local-rules-standing-orders.

• Sacramento Superior Court, Family Division
• Family Law & Probate Self-Help Center
• William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse
• Local Rules & Standing Orders
• California Courts: Spousal or Partner Support
• Family Code Section 4320

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

Sacramento County Spousal Support FAQs