Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4322 (2026)

 Support guideline.

✓ current as of May 2026
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§ 4322.  Support guideline.

(a)  Statewide guideline.--Child and spousal support shall be awarded pursuant to a Statewide guideline as established by general rule by the Supreme Court, so that persons similarly situated shall be treated similarly. The guideline shall be based upon the reasonable needs of the child or spouse seeking support and the ability of the obligor to provide support. In determining the reasonable needs of the child or spouse seeking support and the ability of the obligor to provide support, the guideline shall place primary emphasis on the net incomes and earning capacities of the parties, with allowable deviations for unusual needs, extraordinary expenses and other factors, such as the parties' assets, as warrant special attention. The guideline so developed shall be reviewed at least once every four years.

(b)  Rebuttable presumption.--There shall be a rebuttable presumption, in any judicial or expedited process, that the amount of the award which would result from the application of such guideline is the correct amount of support to be awarded. A written finding or specific finding on the record that the application of the guideline would be unjust or inappropriate in a particular case shall be sufficient to rebut the presumption in that case, provided that the finding is based upon criteria established by the Supreme Court by general rule within one year of the effective date of this act.

(Dec. 20, 1989, P.L.654, No.81, eff. imd.)

 

Cross References.  Section 4322 is referred to in section 4305 of this title.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 39 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1988–2025 · leading case: Hanrahan, M., Aplt. v. Bakker, J., 186 A.3d 958 (Pa. 2018).
Hanrahan, M., Aplt. v. Bakker, J., 186 A.3d 958 (Pa. 2018). · cites it 16× “(quoting 23 Pa.C.S. § 4322). The Superior Court further noted that, in applying Pa.”
Ball v. Minnick, 648 A.2d 1192 (Pa. 1994). · cites it 6× “This legislation provides that: [t]he guideline[s] shall be based upon the reasonable needs of the child or spouse seeking support and the ability of the obligor to provide support.”
Hanrahan, M. v. Bakker, J., 151 A.3d 195 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). · cites it 9× “23 Pa.C.S. § 4322. On September 6, 1989, the Supreme Court adopted Pa.”
Yerkes v. Yerkes, 824 A.2d 1169 (Pa. 2003). · cites it 4× “2d at 245; see also 23 Pa.C.S. § 4322(a) ("Child and spousal support shall be awarded pursuant to a statewide guideline .”
Chen v. Chen, 893 A.2d 87 (Pa. 2006). · cites it 4× “16-7, established by this Court pursuant to 23 Pa.C.S. § 4322, do not provide for direct payment of funds between a parent and child, but rather provide for payment from the obligor *92 to the custodial parent or guardian.”
MacKay v. MacKay, 984 A.2d 529 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2009). · cites it 2× “" 23 Pa.C.S. § 4322(a). In determining the ability of an obligor to provide support, the guidelines "place primary emphasis on the net incomes and earning capacities of the parties[.”
Ball v. Minnick, 606 A.2d 1181 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1992). · cites it 6× “The requirement for imposition of statewide guidelines was established by statute, 23 Pa.C.S. § 4322, Support guideline, to be established by general rule by the Supreme Court.”
Commonwealth v. Hall, 80 A.3d 1204 (Pa. 2013). “23 Pa.C.S. § 4322(a). The sentencing court did not refer to this subsection of the Domestic Relations code in selecting the support amount she ordered appellee to pay as a condition of probation.”
William Burrell, Jr. v. Tom Staff, 60 F.4th 25 (3rd Cir. 2023). “And one other line, nearly identically worded for each Plaintiff, noting that, “lacking any other option, [Plaintiff] was compelled to purging the contempt and effecting release from imprisonment with which it is convinced beyond a reasonable doubt, from the totality of the…”
Marshall v. Ross, 540 A.2d 954 (Pa. 1988). · cites it 2× “These guidelines were formulated in response to 23 Pa.Cons.Stat.Ann. § 4322 (Purdon Supp.”
Arbet v. Arbet, 863 A.2d 34 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2004). “2d at 1189 (quoting 23 Pa.C.S. § 4322(a)). The statutory provision further states that “[i]n determining the reasonable needs of the child or spouse seeking support and the ability of the obligor to provide support, the guideline[s] shall place primary emphasis on the net…”
Love v. Love, 33 A.3d 1268 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2011). “23 Pa.C.S. § 4322. “The support guideline amount is presumed to be .”
— 23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4322(a) — 22 cases
Hanrahan, M., Aplt. v. Bakker, J., 186 A.3d 958 (Pa. 2018). “(quoting 23 Pa.C.S. § 4322). The Superior Court further noted that, in applying Pa.”
MacKay v. MacKay, 984 A.2d 529 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2009). “" 23 Pa.C.S. § 4322(a). In determining the ability of an obligor to provide support, the guidelines "place primary emphasis on the net incomes and earning capacities of the parties[.”
Hanrahan, M. v. Bakker, J., 151 A.3d 195 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). “23 Pa.C.S. § 4322. On September 6, 1989, the Supreme Court adopted Pa.”
Yerkes v. Yerkes, 824 A.2d 1169 (Pa. 2003). “2d at 245; see also 23 Pa.C.S. § 4322(a) ("Child and spousal support shall be awarded pursuant to a statewide guideline .”
Ball v. Minnick, 606 A.2d 1181 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1992). “The requirement for imposition of statewide guidelines was established by statute, 23 Pa.C.S. § 4322, Support guideline, to be established by general rule by the Supreme Court.”
— 23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4322(b) — 5 cases
Hanrahan, M., Aplt. v. Bakker, J., 186 A.3d 958 (Pa. 2018). “(quoting 23 Pa.C.S. § 4322). The Superior Court further noted that, in applying Pa.”
Yerkes v. Yerkes, 824 A.2d 1169 (Pa. 2003). “2d at 245; see also 23 Pa.C.S. § 4322(a) ("Child and spousal support shall be awarded pursuant to a statewide guideline .”
Hanrahan, M. v. Bakker, J., 151 A.3d 195 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). “23 Pa.C.S. § 4322. On September 6, 1989, the Supreme Court adopted Pa.”
Grate, R. v. Mann, V. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2024).
Wonders v. Wonders, 609 A.2d 821 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1991).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.