Christensen v. Lightbourne

*1243This appeal presents a narrow question about what counts as family income when determining a family's eligibility for cash aid under the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids Act (CalWORKs) program. ( Welf. & Inst. Code, §§ 11200 et seq. )1

Here, a CalWORKs applicant, Angie Christensen, lives with her husband and her children. Her husband is the noncustodial parent of additional children, and court-ordered child support is garnished from his income for the benefit of these children who do not live in the applicant's home. Counting the garnished amounts as nonexempt income to…