FL-450 is a California family court form used in governmental child support cases—especially those involving interstate enforcement under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA)—to request a hearing to challenge an earnings assignment order. An earnings assignment is a wage garnishment that requires an employer to withhold child support from a parent’s paycheck. When the Local Child Support Agency (LCSA) issues or implements such an order, FL-450 allows the affected parent to ask the court to review it.

The form is commonly used when a parent believes that the wage withholding is incorrect, unfair, or improperly calculated. This may include disputes about the support amount, questions about arrears, claims that payments were misapplied or not credited, or objections to the garnishment based on financial hardship. By filing FL-450, the parent is not stopping the wage withholding—California law requires withholding to continue during the challenge—but they are securing a court date to present their side and seek corrections.

FL-450 is especially important in cases involving UIFSA, where the support order originated in another state or where multiple states are involved in enforcement. Interstate cases often create confusion over which state’s order controls, how arrears should be calculated, or which payment history is accurate. FL-450 provides a formal avenue to address these issues and ensures that California courts properly review any earnings assignment implemented at the request of another state’s child support agency.

The form requires the requesting party to explain the reasons for disputing the earnings assignment, attach supporting documents (such as pay stubs, payment records, or prior orders), and serve the Local Child Support Agency. After FL-450 is filed, the court schedules a hearing where the judge will determine whether the earnings assignment should remain as issued, be modified, or—rarely—be terminated. Both the parent and the child support agency will have an opportunity to present evidence.

In summary, FL-450 is a crucial tool for parents who need to challenge the accuracy or fairness of a governmental earnings assignment order, especially in interstate child support cases. It ensures due process by giving the parent a formal hearing, while also allowing enforcement to continue uninterrupted. Properly completing and filing FL-450 helps the court make an informed decision about whether the wage withholding should be corrected or adjusted in accordance with the law.