Family Law handles cases that involve: Areas covered by these types of cases are:
Dissolution of marriage (divorce) ends a marriage or domestic partnership. It restores the parties to single status. During this process, the Court can issue orders about: If you are the person filing for divorce, you are the petitioner^[G] . The other party in the divorce is the respondent^[G] . The respondent must be served with specific paperwork. If the respondent does not file the necessary responding paperwork within 30 days of service, the petitioner may request an entry of default. The divorce proceeding can then be completed without the participation of the respondent.

If the respondent files the necessary responding paperwork, the case proceeds as a contested or uncontested divorce.

In a contested divorce the: In an uncontested divorce the:
Summary dissolution of marriage can be used to end a marriage without a court appearance. It can only be used by a married couple that meets ALL the following requirements: The married couple jointly signs the necessary paperwork and the originals are filed with the Court. After waiting six (6) months, either party can file the document requesting that the marriage be ended.
A legal separation is for couples who do not want to divorce but want to live apart. It does not end a marriage. You cannot remarry or enter in a domestic partnership if you are legally separated. With a legal separation, the Court can issue orders about: If you are the person filing for legal separation, you are the petitioner . The other party is the respondent. The respondent must be personally served with specific paperwork. If the respondent does not file the necessary responding paperwork within 30 days of service, the petitioner may request an entry of default. The legal separation proceeding can then be completed without the participation of the respondent. If the respondent responds to the paperwork and requests dissolution of marriage, the Court will grant the dissolution of marriage. If the respondent files the necessary responding paperwork, the case proceeds as a contested or uncontested legal separation. In a contested legal separation the: In a uncontested legal separation the:
Nullity of marriage (annulment) restores people to the status of unmarried persons. Certain conditions must be met before the Court can void the marriage. The person who initiated the case will have to prove that a least one of the conditions has been met before the Court will grant the nullity of marriage. The Court can also issue orders regarding property and debt division, custody and support.
Establishing parentage determines who the legal parents of a child are if the parents were not married when the child was born. The court can make custody and visitation as well as child support orders. If you are the person filing to establish paternity, you are the petitioner. The other party is the respondent. The respondent must be personally served with specific paperwork. If the respondent does not file the necessary responding paperwork within 30 days of service, the petitioner may request an entry of default. Once the default is entered, the paternity case can be completed without the participation of the respondent. If the respondent files the necessary responding paperwork, the case proceeds as a contested or uncontested paternity case. In a contested paternity case the: In an uncontested paternity case the:
A Petition for Custody and Support of Minor Children (FL-260) may be filed with the court by married or unmarried parents to obtain custody and support orders. You do not need to file for dissolution of marriage/legal separation or nullity action if you are married. You do not need to establish a parental relationship if you are unmarried. This action is limited and can only be used in certain situations by a married or unmarried parent. This petition does not deal with: Married parents would need to file an action requesting dissolution of marriage/legal separation or nullity action to address these other issues. Unmarried parents need to file an action to establish the parental relationship.
Before parents can address the issues of custody and visitation of their minor children, there must be an underlying action. If the parents are married or in a domestic partnership, one of the parents must file for: If the parents are unmarried, either parent must file an action to establish the parental relationship. Many parents make their own parenting agreement for custody and visitation. When both parents agree, the agreement can be filed with the Court. The agreement can be drafted by working with an attorney or by seeking assistance from the Resource Center for Self-Represented Litigants. Parents who do not agree on a parenting plan^[G] are required to attend a parent education program called Parents and Children Together (PACT) and mediation. Mediation^[G] is provided at no cost through the Family Court Services Department, formerly known as Conciliation Court. Mediation gives parents the opportunity to discuss with a neutral mental health professional the best plan for their children. If the parents reach an agreement, the mediator drafts the custody and visitation plan. Mediation is most effective when the parents have completed the PACT program prior to their mediation appointment. Through the program, parents learn the importance of focusing on their children’s best interests in developing the custody plan. Family Court Services also offers Child Custody Evaluation services for families who are unable to resolve their custody and visitation disputes. Parents who believe they may need additional counseling or other services may find a list of mental health professionals who provide services for families experiencing conflict or who perform private child custody evaluations. A list of Parent Education Referrals for High Conflict Parents is also available. These programs focus on the benefits of cooperative parenting, conflict resolution, problem solving and communication skills.
A Family Law action must be filed before the issue of child support can be addressed. IIf the parents are married, either the mother or the father must first file: If the parents are unmarred, either the mother or the father must file to: There is no legal obligation to pay child support from one parent to the other until there is a court order. A court order is obtained by requesting a hearing. Once an underlying action has been filed, the Court can address the issue of child support in the underlying action. Further discussion of child support can be located by referring to the appropriate underlying action. Child support issues may also be raised through an action initiated by the Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department. The Office of the Family Law Facilitator assists parties with child support, spousal support and health insurance issues. The staff consists of attorneys and paralegals, which will meet with parties individually to attempt to resolve their support issues. The staff does not give legal advice nor does it represent a particular party in an action. There is no confidentiality nor attorney-client relationship created or intended between the office and a party. You can send questions about which form to use or for information about Child Support procedures by email to:
ChildSupportSelfHelp@LASuperiorCourt.Org The reply to your email may take up to 48 hours.
Spousal support can be addressed when dissolution of marriage or legal separation has been filed. There is no legal obligation to pay spousal support until there is a court order. In limited situations, the court can order spousal support in a nullity action. A court order may be obtained by requesting a hearing.
A domestic violence restraining order is a Court order issued to prevent the recurrence of acts of abuse by a batterer. Under the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, abuse is defined as any of the following: The abuse/violence must have occurred recently. The batterer must be: A victim of abuse that does not have the necessary relationship to the batterer may file a civil harassment^[G] restraining order. The restraining order can include the following: