(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, in an action filed by the local child support agency pursuant to Section 17400, 17402, 17404, or 17404.1, in which the proposed child support amount is based on actual income, a judgment shall be entered without hearing, without the presentation of any other evidence or further notice to the defendant, upon the filing of proof of service by the local child support agency evidencing that more than 30 days have passed since the simplified summons and complaint, proposed judgment, blank answer, blank income and expense declaration, and all notices required by this division were served on the defendant.

(2) If the defendant fails to file an answer with the court within 30 days of having been served as specified in subdivision (d) of Section 17400 in an action in which the proposed child support amount is based on actual income, or at any time before the default judgment is entered, the proposed judgment filed with the original summons and complaint shall be conformed by the court as the final judgment and a copy provided to the local child support agency, unless the local child support agency has filed a declaration and amended proposed judgment pursuant to subdivision (c).

(b) (1) If the proposed judgment is based on the support obligor‘s earning capacity pursuant to clause (ii) or (iii) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 17400, the local child support agency shall file a motion for judgment, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17404. The motion for judgment filed pursuant to this paragraph shall be served on the defendant in compliance with Section 1013 of the Code of Civil Procedure or otherwise as provided by law.

(2) At the motion for judgment hearing, the court shall permit the appearance and participation of the defendant and the other parent in the hearing, including, but not limited to, sworn testimony and the introduction of evidence, regardless of whether the defendant has filed an answer to the complaint.

(3) If the defendant fails to file an answer with the court and does not appear at the motion for judgment hearing, the judgment shall be entered by way of default after the court considers the factors set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 4058 and states its findings on the record. When considering those factors or any other relevant matter, the court may inquire of the local child support agency regarding the factors set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 4058 or any other relevant matter. If after consideration of the factors set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 4058 and the evidence presented by the local child support agency or the other parent the court determines that child support pursuant to the guidelines set forth in Article 2 (commencing with Section 4050) of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 9 would be lower than the proposed support obligation listed in the proposed judgment, the court shall enter an order for guideline child support. This paragraph does not limit the court’s discretion to order an amount higher than, lower than, or equal to the proposed support obligation listed in the proposed judgment based on the evidence presented if the defendant files an answer or appears at the motion for judgment hearing.

(c) If the local child support agency receives additional information before the answer is filed and the additional information would result in a support order that is different from the amount in the proposed judgment, the local child support agency shall file a declaration setting forth the additional information and an amended proposed judgment. The local child support agency shall be permitted to file the amended proposed judgment at any time after the filing of the initial summons and complaint and before the answer is filed. The declaration and amended proposed judgment shall be served on the defendant in compliance with Section 1013 of the Code of Civil Procedure or otherwise as provided by law. The defendant’s time to answer or otherwise appear shall be extended to 30 days from the date of service of the declaration and amended proposed judgment.

(d) Upon entry of the judgment, the clerk of the court shall provide a conformed copy of the judgment to the local child support agency. The local child support agency shall mail by first-class mail, postage prepaid, a notice of entry of judgment by default and a copy of the judgment to the defendant to the address where the summons and complaint were served and last known address if different from that address.

(e) (1) (A) Notwithstanding any other law, if the judgment is entered by way of default from a proposed support order that is based on earning capacity pursuant to clause (iii) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 17400, within one year after entry of judgment and then annually thereafter, until a modified order is entered, the local child support agency shall conduct a review of the case to determine if there is sufficient additional evidence of income or earning capacity as described by Section 4058 available to establish actual income of the defendant or a different earning capacity, as described by subdivision (b) of Section 4058, from that which was the basis of the initial support order.

(B) If after any review pursuant to subparagraph (A), the local child support agency determines sufficient additional evidence exists, the local child support agency shall file a motion to modify the support order prospectively with the court within 60 days of its determination, and additional evidence shall constitute a change in circumstances to obtain a modification of the support order. This subdivision does not prohibit the local child support agency from filing the motion to modify pursuant to this subdivision prior to the expiration of any annual review period if additional evidence is discovered sooner.

(2) (A) Notwithstanding any other law, if the judgment is entered by way of default from a proposed support order that is based on earning capacity pursuant to clause (iii) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 17400, the defendant or the other parent may file a motion to modify the initial support order prospectively if sufficient additional evidence becomes available to establish actual income of the defendant or a different earning capacity.

(B) Additional evidence available pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall constitute a change in circumstances to obtain a modification of the initial support order.

(f) This section shall become operative January 1, 2026.

(Repealed (in Sec. 18) and added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 213, Sec. 21. (SB 343) Effective January 1, 2024. Operative January 1, 2026, by its own provisions.)