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FAMILY LAW FORM AND SAMPLE PACKETS
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Family:

FAMILY


DIVORCE, LEGAL SEPARATION OR NULLITY CASE FORMS


Starting a Divorce Case:

Parties do not have minor children together
Parties have minor children together
Parties have minor children and you want a hearing for custody/visitation
Parties have minor children and you need emergency custody/visitation orders
Complete this form if you are asking for a hearing and marked the box for child support or spousal support

Summary Dissolution: Married less than 5 years, have no children together and very little assets or debts

  • These packets may also be used for filing a legal separation. When you receive a Judgment for Legal Separation, you and the other party are still married. If you want to be divorced you must file a divorce case.

  • If you wish to file for nullity, please contact the Self-Help Center or a private attorney. In order to get a nullity of marriage, you must meet specific requirements which must be proven through a court hearing.



    • Responding to a Divorce Case:

    Parties do not have minor children together
    Parties have minor children together

  • If you were served with a Summons and Petition for divorce, legal separation or nullity and you wish to participate in the case, you should file a Response.

  • If you do not file a Response within 30 days, the other party may proceed by default and will be able to ask the court to grant the requests made in the Petition.


    • Mandatory Financial Disclosures:

    Complete within 2 months of filing Petition or Response

  • The Preliminary Financial Disclosure forms are required for every divorce and legal separation case in California.

  • The Self Help Center offers an online workshop to assist with these forms. Click here for more information.



    • Joinder of Employee Benefit Plan:

    How to Request Joinder of Employee Benefit Plan

  • This form packet is used to request joinder of an employee benefit plan to the case.



    • PARENTAGE FORMS


    Starting a Parentage Case:

    Establish parentage only
    Establish parentage and you want a hearing for custody/visitation
    Establish parentage and you need emergency custody/visitation orders
    Complete this form if you are asking for a hearing and marked the box for child support

  • If you have a minor child with someone and you are not married to each other, you may file a Parentage case to:
    • Establish parentage
    • Request custody and visitation orders
    • Request child support
  • If the mother of the child was married to someone else when the child was born, you should contact the
    Self-Help Center or a private attorney for more information about how to proceed. Please see our
    “Do-It-Yourself Resources”  for help finding low to no cost legal advice.


    • Responding to a Parentage Case:

    Respond to parentage case only
    Respond to parentage case and you want a hearing for custody/visitation
    Respondent to parentage case and you need emergency custody/visitation orders

  • If you were served with a Summons and Petition for a parentage case and you wish to participate in the case, you should file a Response.

  • If you do not file a Response within 30 days, the other party may proceed by default and will be able to ask the court to grant the requests made in the Petition.



    • REQUEST FOR ORDER IN A FAMILY LAW CASE


    Asking for court orders:

    Requesting custody and/or visitation orders
    Request emergency custody/visitation orders
    Request for orders (not custody/visitation)
    Simplified modification of support
    Complete this form if you are asking for a hearing and marked the box for child support

  • You must already have an open family law case to use these packets. If you do not have an open case, you must first file the appropriate Summons and Petition.
    • If you are married to the other parent, click here.
    • If you are not married to the other parent, click here.
  • If the orders you are requesting, (for example, change venue, move away, set aside etc.) are not covered by the preprinted language, you may use the “Other Orders” box to make your request.
  • The sample forms cannot cover all topics, if you need help determining how to make your request, please contact the Self-Help Center.


    • Responding to a Request for Order:

    Response to a request for custody and/or visitation orders
    Response to a request for custody/visitation orders and support orders
    Response to a request for other orders
    Complete this form if you are responding to a request for support orders

  • If you were served a Request for Order (form FL-300), you should file a Response to let the court know whether you agree or disagree with the request.

  • If you were also served with a Petition for Divorce/Legal Separation/Nullity or a Petition to Establish Parentage, you should file a Response to those forms as well. They are available on this page.



    • DEPARTMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES/CHILD SUPPORT FORMS


    Answer to a DCSS Child Support Case:

    Answer to DCSS Summons and Complaint

  • You should use this packet when you have been served with a Summons and Complaint from the Department of Child Support Services (DCSS).

  • If you do not file an Answer within 30 days of service, DCSS can ask the court to grant the requests made in the Complaint.


    • Request a Release of a Suspended License:

    Request to Release License

  • You should use this packet if your license has been suspended and DCSS has refused to release it.



    • Each form packet has an instruction sheet and a sample packet to guide you page-by-page through the forms. If you are not sure which packet is best suited to your issues, please contact the Self-Help Center. Once you have completed forms, you may scan and email them to the Self-Help Center for review at .

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