Parties in Family Court child and spousal support cases are each required to submit a Financial Disclosure Affidavit and a few key financial documents like their most recent tax return (see list of required documentation at the top of the Financial Disclosure Affidavit).  If you want to make discovery demands to obtain additional financial information you must ask for leave of the court to do so. You should routinely make this application at the first appearance so you do not lose your opportunity to conduct discovery should you decide to do so. As Family Court cases are “special proceedings” pursuant to the Civil Practice Law and Rules Section 408, leave of court is required before you can serve discovery demands upon the opposing party.  However, leave to conduct financial discovery is fairly routinely granted in support matters.