When a paying parent claims poverty while living well, financial records tell the story. In California, custodial parents pursuing support enforcement can subpoena bank statements, tax returns, and employment records — and the process is more accessible than most people know.
Using a Subpoena Duces Tecum
A Subpoena Duces Tecum (SDT) requires a person or institution to produce documents. In child support proceedings, SDTs can be directed to employers, banks, brokerages, and accountants. The records produced often reveal income streams the paying parent never disclosed.
You don’t need a pending hearing to issue a subpoena. Once a support order is in place and a motion is filed to modify or enforce it, discovery tools including subpoenas become available. Custodial parents who use them often find that the paying parent’s claimed income was significantly understated.
The California Child Support Recovery System gives custodial parents the exact tools, templates, and step-by-step guidance to enforce support orders, calculate arrears, and use every enforcement mechanism available — without paying an attorney to get started. Request your free evaluation here.
California Child Support Recovery System 
Leave a comment