Page 1 of 3
CC-DRIN 6 - Revised 10/2015
PETITION/MOTION TO MODIFY CHILD SUPPORT
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING &&D5 6
If you have a court order to pay or receive child support (for example, from a divorce or
paternity decree), it may be possible to have the court modify the amount you are currently
receiving or paying. There are three ways you can do this: (1) obtain the service of an attorney to
handle your case; (2) go to the child support enforcement office in your county; or (3) file the
case yourself by using the CC-DR forms.
Use this form only if there is an existing child support order and you are NOT receiving
public assistance or welfare. If you are receiving public assistance and are seeking an increase
in child support, you must contact the child support enforcement office in your county. As a
recipient of financial assistance, you assigned to the State “all right, title and interest or support
from any other person,” including child support owed you on behalf of a child for whom you are
receiving public assistance. MD ANN. CODE art. 88A, §50(b)(2)(1998). The local support
enforcement office will pursue a modification of support, if appropriate, although those amounts
will be retained by the State until you are no longer receiving financial assistance.
There are 8 steps you must follow in order to proceed with the case yourself:
> STEP 1 — Completion of Form &&'56.
In order to complete this form, you will need a copy of your existing child support order.
If you do not have a copy, ask the Clerk of Court how to get one.
Page 1: Fill in both the Plaintiff’s and Defendant’s names exactly as they appear on the
existing order. Then fill in current addresses and telephone numbers for both. Do not use this
form unless you can locate the other parent. If you do not know their whereabouts, it is
recommended you file with the assistance of your attorney or through the local child support
enforcement office.
Line 1: After filling in your name in the space provided, list your relationship (e.g.,
mother, father or other) to the child(ren) for whom child support is ordered. Then, list the
child(ren)’s name(s) and date(s) of birth.
Line 2: Looking at the existing order, fill in the date, city or county the order was
granted in, case number, name of person ordered to pay, amount ordered, and whether the
payments were to be made weekly, biweekly, or monthly.
Line 3: In order for the court to grant your petition to modify child support, there
must be a substantial change in circumstances. This can occur from one or more of the
situations on the form. Check all that apply.
Page 2 of 3
CC-DRIN 6 - Revised 10/2015
Page 2: Using the boxes on the top of the page:
(a) First, check whether you would like the court to order an increase or decrease in
child support.
(b) Next, check whether you would prefer the employer to pay the person with
custody directly or through the local child support enforcement agency.
(c) Finally, you may request that the court order the parent paying child support to
include the child on the parent’s health insurance policy if: (1) the parent is covered by a
health insurance policy; and (2) if the child can be included on the policy at a reasonable
cost to the parent. To make this request, check the box and fill in the name of parent with
the insurance policy.
> STEP 2 — Financial Statement for Child Support.
Use Form DR 30 or 31. If the combined adjusted actual monthly income is below or
equal to $10,000.00, and there is no request for alimony or other support, use form DR
30. If the combined adjusted actual monthly income of both parents is above $10,000, or if
alimony or other support has been requested by either party, use form DR 31.
> STEP 3 — Filing Fee.
Payment of a fee is normally required for filing these papers with the court. See General
Instructions.
> STEP 4 — Filing Your Forms.
Take the completed documents to the Clerk of Court.
> STEP 5 — Service.
You will need to have the other party properly served with a copy of all the papers you are
filing AND with a Writ of Summons which is provided by the Civil Clerk of this Court. See
General Instructions.
> STEP 6 — Request for Hearing or Proceeding.
When service has been made, file a Request for Hearing or Proceeding, CC-DR 59. The
Petition/Motion for Child Support Modification alone will not get you into court. You MUST
file a Request for a Hearing or Proceeding. See General Instructions.
Page 3 of 3
CC-DRIN 6 - Revised 10/2015
> STEP 7 — Hearing.
The court will set a hearing date and notify you by mail when and where to appear.
Examples of what you may want to bring to the hearing include: pay stubs, tax returns, or other
proof of income for both sides; information concerning child related school costs, medical
expenses, and work-related child care expenses; or witnesses who can testify to the change in
circumstances you are trying to prove.
> STEP 8 — Child Support Guidelines Worksheet.
You may also need to fill out the CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES WORKSHEET in order
to show the court that there has been a substantial change in circumstances. You will not need
this worksheet until the hearing, but filling it out in advance will help you decide whether you
have the “substantial change in circumstances” needed for a change in your child support order.
