Rule 23 Retroactivity of child support and spousal support orders

When a court grants child support or spousal support, that support usually starts from the day the other person was served with the request for support, not from the day the judge actually signs the order. This means if it takes weeks or months for a case to get resolved, the person owed support doesn't lose out on that time.

The only way this doesn't apply is if there's a good reason to do something different. A judge can decide to set a different start date, but they need a solid reason for making that choice.

In practical terms, this rule protects people who need support from being penalized by court delays. Once you file for support and the other person is officially notified, that's the date support payments should count from, even if the final decision comes later.