If child support is an issue, spousal support is calculated after child support is calculated. Are you facing an alimony matter in Santa Clara?Call (408) 601-4439 to speak with our spousal maintenance attorney. Spousal support, also called alimony, is the payment that a court may order one spouse to pay another spouse when a couple gets divorced or separated. A fair way to determine alimony? I'm in California and need to know how much long to pay and what amount without having to pay for lawyers and such. If appropriate, the court will order temporary spousal support pursuant to Family Code Section 3600. San Diego doesn't have temporary Guidelines, but its judges often use Santa Clara County's guildelines. How is temporary spousal support calculated? The kids want to live mostly with me but obviously some time with her too.