Legal Memorandum: Trial courts have broad discretion to determine child support

Issue: Under Illinois law, what kind of discretion does a trial court have to determine the need and amount of child support?

A trial court has broad discretion in determining the necessity for and the amount of child support, and its decision will not be set aside unless the trial court abused its discretion or its order is contrary to the manifest weight of the evidence. In re Marriage of Thurmond, 306 Ill.App.3d 828, 832 (1999).