Your options

You've got the hammer, here are the building plans.

Before you file anything — or decide not to — here's what your actual options are. Publicly available information about how California family court works, written in the language the court uses and in plain English.

Option 1 — No court

You don't have to file. Communication might be enough.

California Family Code does not require parties to litigate every dispute. Where no court order exists and both parties retain parental rights, informal resolution — structured communication, mediated agreement, or co-parenting coordination — is legally permissible and often preferable. Courts have repeatedly recognized that voluntary agreements, when reduced to a stipulated order, carry the same enforceability as a litigated judgment without the cost or procedural burden of contested hearings.

The threshold question is whether the other party is reachable in good faith. If they are, structured communication through a documented channel gives you a record without creating adversarial posture. If they're not — if there's active safety risk, willful interference with custody, or imminent harm — then filing becomes necessary and the off-ramp closes.

Peace Path is SharpeSystem's structured communication tool. It helps you say what needs to be said in a way that's documented, calm, and designed to be heard — without escalating to court if you don't have to. Available without a subscription.

Filing in court isn't always the answer. If the other person is willing to communicate, a structured conversation — with a clear record of what was said — can resolve a lot without judges, hearings, or forms.

Peace Path helps you have that conversation in a way that's documented and clear. No subscription needed.
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Option 2 — File a form

You need to file something specific with the court.

California courts require specific Judicial Council forms for family law matters, standardized statewide pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 1.31. These forms are publicly available through the Judicial Council of California. Filing requires payment of a filing fee to the clerk of court (fee waivers available via form FW-001 upon a showing of financial eligibility), effectuation of service upon the responding party in compliance with statutory notice requirements under Code of Civil Procedure § 1005, and appearance at the calendared hearing date.

The most common individual filings:

  1. 1FL-300 — Request for Order. Used to petition the court to issue, modify, or enforce orders pertaining to child custody and visitation, child and spousal support, attorney fees, or property control. Governed by Family Code § 213 et seq.
  2. 2DV-100 — Request for Domestic Violence Restraining Order. Filed pursuant to the Domestic Violence Prevention Act (Family Code § 6200 et seq.) where there exists a history of abuse, credible threat of violence, or harassment by a person with whom the petitioner has a qualifying relationship. Temporary emergency orders may issue ex parte on the day of filing.
  3. 3FL-120 — Response to Petition for Dissolution. Filed by the respondent party following service of a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage or Legal Separation. Responsive pleading must be filed within 30 days of service pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure § 412.20.
  4. 4FL-150 — Income and Expense Declaration. Mandatory in any proceeding in which child support, spousal support, or attorney fees are at issue. Must reflect current financial circumstances within 90 days of the hearing date per California Rules of Court, rule 5.260.
If that language is difficult to parse — that's intentional on the court's part, not a failure on yours. The Assistance Tier exists to translate every one of those terms into plain English and tell you exactly what goes in each field.

If you need the court to make a decision — on custody, support, a restraining order, or a response to something you were served with — you'll file a specific form.

  1. 1FL-300 — Ask the court to change or make orders on custody, visitation, or support.
  2. 2DV-100 — Request a restraining order based on abuse or credible threat.
  3. 3FL-120 — Respond to a divorce petition (30-day deadline from when you were served).
  4. 4FL-150 — Income and expense declaration, required for any support matter.
File an RFO (FL-300) Browse forms
Option 3 — Full filing packet

Your situation requires multiple forms filed together.

Certain family law filings require the simultaneous submission of a coordinated set of pleadings and supporting documents — a packet — filed in the correct sequence with the requisite attachments. Failure to file a complete packet results in rejection at the filing window or, more seriously, a hearing at which the trier of fact cannot grant the requested relief because the record does not support it.

The four primary packet scenarios, each requiring specific forms filed in sequence:

  1. 1DVRO packet. Initiates with form DV-100 (Request for Domestic Violence Restraining Order) — plus additional required forms. The temporary restraining order issues on the day of filing; the permanent order issues only after the noticed hearing.
  2. 2Ex parte packet. Initiates with form FL-300 (Request for Order) — plus additional required forms. Filed when exigent circumstances require judicial intervention prior to the standard notice period, upon a showing that immediate harm will result from delay or that notice to the opposing party is impracticable.
  3. 3Dissolution packet. Initiates with form FL-100 (Petition for Dissolution of Marriage or Legal Separation) — plus additional required forms. This pleading commences the action. The responding party has 30 days from service to file FL-120.
  4. 4Response packet. Initiates with form FL-120 (Response to Petition) — plus additional required forms. Due 30 days from service of the petition.
If reading that felt like reading a different language — it is. The court writes for attorneys, not for the people actually going through this. If you want to know exactly what each of those additional required forms is, what goes in every field, and what the court is looking for — that's what the Assistance Tier is built for.

Some situations require several forms filed at the same time — not just one. Getting any of them wrong or missing one can mean the clerk rejects your filing or the judge can't give you what you're asking for.

  1. 1DVRO packet — starts with DV-100, plus additional required forms.
  2. 2Ex parte packet — starts with FL-300, plus additional required forms.
  3. 3Dissolution packet — starts with FL-100, plus additional required forms.
  4. 4Response packet — starts with FL-120, plus additional required forms.
The "additional required forms" is exactly what the Assistance Tier tells you — what they are, what order to file them in, and what goes in every field.
See what the Assistance Tier covers
Where do you go from here?

Two questions to answer before you do anything else.

Do you need to file a single form?

You know what you need to request and you're ready to file. SharpeSystem has the forms, rendered and ready to fill.

You know what you need and you're ready to file.

Go to forms

Do you need real guidance through a full filing?

You need to understand what each form does, what goes in it, and what the court is looking for — for every form in a complete packet.

You need someone to walk you through the whole thing.

See guided packets

Plain English guidance through every step

The forms are public. What they mean, what the court expects, and how to get through the process without missing something critical — that's what the Assistance Tier provides.

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Not legal advice. SharpeSystem provides procedural guidance and document preparation support only. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. National DV Hotline: 1-800-799-7233.