Can a court opt out of CSSA or deviate from it, and if so, what is required?

• A. No
• B. Yes, as long as the parties include all statutory recitations in writing
• C. Yes, with no recitations required
• D. Only with a court order from the appellate court

Answer: (B)

The rule hinges on how departures from the CSSA framework are handled. A court isn’t forbidden from deviating, but that deviation must be grounded in the parties’ agreement in writing, and the writing must include every statutorily required recitation. Those recitations are the precise statements of the statutory conditions, findings, or grounds that the court must reference when it steps outside the standard CSSA procedure. By having the parties supply these recitations in writing, the record clearly reflects the statutory basis for the deviation, preserving transparency and enforceability.

That’s why the correct answer is that deviation is allowed if the parties include all statutory recitations in writing. The other options fail because they either deny any possibility of deviation, ignore the need for recitations, or improperly require appellate court intervention when the mechanism relies on the parties’ written agreement.