Child support hearing-- arrears

My soon-to-be-ex and I have a child support hearing to address his responsibility for back child support and subsequent bounced support checks, as well as my son’s medical expenses that he has not shared at all. I gave a comprehensive spreadsheet of actual costs and all my receipts to the CSE case manager. What should I expect from this hearing? That is, will I be expected to speak, or will a judge simply review the paperwork and make a decision about what he must pay?

My soon-to-be ex is certain to argue that he is unable to afford the amount that CSE calculated that he owes in arrears (which was a larger amount than I’d imagined). Is the judge likely to throw out the amount due or to reduce it based on what he believes that he can afford? (His lifestyle is definitely more expensive than it needs to be and he could certainly afford to tighten his belt…)

The court will review the evidence presented and make a determination on the amount of arrears, and a schedule for payment.

The amount of child support is based on income, not expenses. Unless your ex’s income has drastically decreased support will not be reduced.