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Petition and Summons (forms FL-200 and FL-210) | California Courts | Self Help Guide
Take the child out of state

Get a new passport for the child

Read page 2 of the Summons for a complete list. These same rules apply to the Petitioner.

What to do next

Decide if you'll respond within 30 days
If you respond, this means you will participate in this parentage court case and have input on any court decisions. You and the other person may still agree and not need to go to court. If you don’t agree, you can use a court process to have the court decide.
File your Response within 30 days of getting the Petition. After 30 days, the petitioner can ask for a default and the court can decide the case without you.
You can choose not to respond because you and the other person already have a written agreement. This is called a default with an agreement. The court will decide the case based on the information the other person provides.

Consider getting help
This website has information to walk you through the basic process. But, you may need more help or legal advice.  

Get free help from the court. The court where the case is filed has a program where they offer free legal information about parentage cases. Learn more about the court’s Family Law Facilitator or Self-Help Center.  

Hire a lawyer to help you with all or a part of your case. Even though it’s possible to do this process without a lawyer, you may wish to hire a lawyer. 

What's next?
Explore your options

Select the options below to learn more about what happens next in each situation. You can also get step-by-step instructions and the forms you need for responding to the court case.

Respond to parentage papers
 Get step-by-step instructions for how to respond to parentage papers and participate in the process.
 

Don’t respond, because you already have an agreement
 Learn more about default with an agreement. The court will decide based on information from the other person, including your agreement.
 

Do nothing
 Learn more about a default. This means the other person can move the case forward without your input.
Self-Help Glossary - selfhelp
If the parents do not agree on a decision about the child, the parent with sole legal custody has the right to make the final decision. "Sole custody" does not give one parent the right to move away with the child without notice to the other parent unless the court order specifically gives that right.
Sole Physical Custody: See Primary Physical Custody.
Sole Proprietorship: An unincorporated business that is owned by one individual
special education: Instruction specially designed to meet the unique needs of a child whose disability affects his or her educational performance or ability to learn in a regular classroom.
special immigrant juvenile status (SIJS): this is an immigration category that may apply to some  children who enter or remain in the United States without documentation, and have been abused, neglected, or abandoned by a parent. This will allows you to apply for lawful permanent residency in the U.S. with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or in immigration court. Click to find out how a California court can help in the process of getting the orders you need to file for SIJS.
spousal support: Court-ordered support of a spouse or ex-spouse; also called "maintenance" or "alimony."
State Case Registry (SCR): A database maintained by each state that contains information on individuals in all IV-D cases and all non-IV-D orders established or modified after October 1, 1998. (See also IV-D.)
State Directory of New Hires (SDNH): A database maintained by each state, that contains information about newly hired employees in that state. (See also new hire reporting.)
State Parent Locator Services (SPLS): A unit within each state's child support enforcement agency that locates noncustodial parents to establish and enforce child support obligations, visitation, and custody orders or to establish parentage.
statement of facts: Any written or oral declaration of facts in a court case.
status offense: An act, committed by a child, that is illegal only because of the child's age (e.g. truancy, underage drinking, etc.).
statute: A law passed by Congress or a state legislature.
statute of limitations: A law that sets the deadline for parties to file suit to enforce their rights.
Enforce a custody order | California Courts | Self Help Guide
Keep a written description of the parent - their height, weight, hair and eye color, and a recent picture if you have one
Take full-faced pictures or videos of your child every 6 months
Enroll in the Children's Passport Issuance Alert program to get alerted about any passport applications for your child
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children suggests that you teach your children to use the telephone, memorize your phone number and that you instruct them to call you immediately if anything unusual happens. 

Get legal advice. 
Talk to a lawyer about your concerns. They can advise you on your legal options to keep your child safe, such as getting a court order that restricts travel with your child or only allows supervised visitations. 
 

 The other parent kidnapped your child and took them to another country

 Take immediate steps to stop an abduction in progress
Contact the U.S. State Department's Office of Children's Issue at 1-888-407-4747 any time.
The U.S. State Department suggests you
Get a court order if you do not have one
Contact law enforcement (they will need a copy of the order)
Contact airport police and airlines
Get help from an experienced lawyer
Family court orders are rarely enforceable internationally. In some cases, if the country where your child is located is a signatory to an international treaty, like the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, then it is possible that the country will enforce the order and help to return your child to the United States.
The Hague Convention is complicated as are international child abduction cases. Talk to a lawyer with experience in international abduction cases. You may also need a lawyer in the country where your child is located.
The U.S. State Department has a lot of resources and tips
The Office of Children's Issues at the U.S. State Department can provide you with information and direct you to resources that can help return your child to the United States. Contact the Officer of Children's Issues for more information

 

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The Superior Court of California - County of Ventura - Adoption
parent failed to support the child, and chose not to communicate with the child. When filing an adoption petition the court will issue a citation 
 to appear which must be served on the absent parent, together with a conformed copy of the petition.
Service of Petition and Citation to Appear
The papers must be served by a Sheriff, Marshal, registered process server, or by a person over the age of eighteen who is not a participant in 
 the adoption proceedings. The person serving the Citation and Petition serves a copy on the noncustodial parent. The person serving the papers 
 must complete a proof of service showing who, when, where and what was served. The proof of service must be signed under penalty of perjury. 
 This proof of service is then filed with the court together with the original Citation to Appear.
There are a number of approved methods of serving the Citation and Petition. These include:

Personal service, whereby the papers are handed to the absent parent.
Service by mail with an acknowledgment of receipt, whereby the papers are sent by mail to the absent parent together with a form called an 
 "Acknowledgment of Receipt". The absent parent must sign the Acknowledgment of Receipt and return the form to the petitioner, who then files the 
 form with the court. THIS METHOD OF SERVICE ONLY WORKS WHEN THE NONCUSTODIAL PARENT IS COOPERATIVE.
Substituted service is only permitted after a number of attempts at personal service have failed. With substituted service another adult at 
 the noncustodial parentâs home can receive the documents. The process server must also mail an additional set of the documents to the non-custodial 
 parent. There are strict requirements which must be met for substituted service to be effective.
If the absent parent resides outside California, you can have the Petition and Citation served by certified mail, return receipt requested.
If you cannot locate the absent parent, and have made reasonable, good faith efforts to do so, you can apply to the court for an order for publication.

Filing the petition
Adoption hearings are closed to the public to protect the privacy of the parties. Be on time for your case.
The 2024-25 Budget: Child Support
Updated Federal Guidance Allows States to Establish Automatic and Across-the-Board Exemptions to Referrals to Child Support Program. A growing body of research has found that when low-income families receiving FR services are required to pay child support payments, this could pose a financial barrier negatively impacting the families’ child welfare outcomes, including compromising reunification efforts. In light of the research, in June 2022, the federal government updated its guidance around child support referrals for families involved with Title IV-E programs. Specifically, the federal government withdrew the prior guidance directing Title IV-E agencies to assess cases for referral on a case-by-case basis, replacing it with guidance encouraging child welfare agencies to implement across-the-board policies. The guidance further specifies that states’ policies should require a referral to child support agencies only in very rare circumstances while carefully considering the impact of referring a family when the child is placed out of home and the family is receiving reunification services.
Recent State Law Also Aims to Limit Child Support Referrals for Foster Care Cases. Chapter 755 of 2022 (AB 1686, Bryan) requires DSS to update regulations to instruct local child welfare agencies, in making the determination of whether it is in the best interests of the child to refer a case to the LCSA, to presume that the payment of support by the parent “is likely to” pose a barrier to FR.
Implementation of New State Policy 
DSS Updated Policy to Align State Referral Practices With New Federal Guidance and State Law. In March 2023, DSS issued a letter to counties updating the state’s policies. The letter communicated a number of updates:

Effective January 1, 2023, DSS instructs that counties shall no longer refer parents, whose children have been removed from the home and who are receiving child welfare services, to the state child support program. “Receiving child welfare services” here refers to cases where FR services are being received or have been terminated; a parent has refused reunification services; or cases that are in any other related program, such as family maintenance or legal guardianship.
Child Custody, Support, and Visitation | Superior Court of California | County of Alameda
File a divorce or legal separation or a Petition for Custody and Support of Minor Children.
Are not married to the other parent:
	File a parentage action.
Are not the biological parent and there is no existing family law court file about the children:
	Talk to a lawyer. You may be able to file to start a guardianship case with the Probate Court.
Are not a biological parent and there is a family law court file for the family:
	See a lawyer to ask if you can join in that action. If there is no family law court file then you may have to file a new guardianship action or seek grandparent visitation.
Have an existing Alameda County Department of Child Support Services (ACDCSS) case and paternity is established for the child(ren):
	See a lawyer or Family Law Facilitator to start a parentage case to ask for custody and visitation orders or to ask if you can file in the DCSS case.
Have an existing case, file papers to ask the court to change (or modify) court orders. It does not matter how old your case is.:
Are filing to ask for a Restraining Order to protect you from domestic violence, you can also ask for custody and visitation orders. You cannot file to change orders in a restraining order case unless you filed the restraining order papers in a case to establish parentage or divorce/legal separation.
Parents who do not agree on custody or visitation MUST go to mediation. Call the Child Custody Mediation Services office to schedule a Parent Orientation and Mediation.

How to fill our your court forms

If you are filing a divorce or paternity action, you can:
Get help from a lawyer:
Ask a lawyer to help you or to represent you. To find one, look in the yellow pages of your phone book or call the Alameda County Bar Association referral service.
Do it yourself:
Download the forms you need at the Judicial Council's Self-Help site free of charge. All you need is a computer with internet access. You can go to your public library or the Court's Self-Help Center to use a public access computer terminal.
Juvenile Court: Sacramento Superior Court

arraignment hearing is to appoint an attorney for your child if you can not afford one and to read the petition containing the charges against your child.
Pre-trial Hearing: a pre-trial hearing will occur the day before the trial to allow the parties in the matter to either resolve the case or
 	 	to advise the court that they are ready to proceed to trial.
Jurisdiction Hearing: at the jurisdiction hearing, the judge will decide whether or not your child committed the offense.
Disposition Hearing: a disposition hearing is equivalent to a sentencing hearing in adult court. If the judge rules that your child committed
 	 	the offense, then at the disposition hearing the judge will decide what orders should be made about your child. If the judge rules that your child did not commit
 	 	the offense, there is no disposition hearing. Sometimes the disposition hearing is held right after the jurisdiction hearing, on the same day, otherwise, it is held
 	 	10 days after the jurisdiction hearing.


 	 	In addition to the above hearings, you and your child may be required to attend any of the following hearings:

Early Resolution Hearing: a court appearance is scheduled to try to resolve the matter prior to trial. 
Hearings on Motions: there may be court appearances for the court to hear additional matters that come up before the matter is resolved.
Transfer Hearing: under Welfare and Institutions Code section 707, depending on the age of your child and the nature of the charged offense,
 	 	the district attorney may ask the juvenile court to make a decision on whether your child should be tried as an adult or not. At the transfer hearing, the judge
 	 	will decide whether your child will be tried in adult court or in juvenile court.
Review Hearings: in some cases, the law or the court may set hearings to review your child's progress and performance under probation supervision.
Restitution Hearing: if the court so orders, you and your child may have to pay restitution to the victim. Restitution is money to pay for the victim's
 	 	losses caused by your child's illegal conduct. Examples of restitution might include the value of stolen or damaged property, medical expenses, and lost wages.

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Family Court Services | Superior Court of California | County of Tulare
The focus of the session is on the safety and welfare of your child or children and how you can best care for them as parents living separately. At the end of a session with the counselor, if you have come to an agreement, he or she will provide you and the court with a written stipulation for your signature. If you do not agree, a written report will be completed before your hearing with information from the session and recommendations for a parenting plan and referrals if necessary.
What is a parenting plan?
When parents are separated, the parenting plan defines legal and physical custody and time sharing of the children. It can be very general or detailed, depending on your needs, and it can include how you will share time on holidays and special occasions as well as for vacations and other events.
How does mediation and child custody recommending counseling work?
Divorcing clients and separating parents may contact Family Court Services, or be referred by their attorney, for mediation and child custody recommending counseling prior to their hearing date. They are also referred for counseling by the court at the time of the hearing. Parents can also schedule voluntary mediation sessions without setting the matter for a court hearing.
The counselor and the parents will meet together, unless there are issues of domestic violence, and the discussion will focus primarily on what will be in the child's best interests; to this end they will put the child's needs ahead of any other agendas in the proceedings. The counselor has been trained to help parents work out solutions to child care and cooperative parenting which will allow conflict to be reduced.
The counselor will spend some time describing terminology, asking parents what solutions they feel would be in their child's best interests, and exploring the past situation. The focus, however, is on the future, and the goal is to draw up an agreement that allows children to achieve a relationship with each parent while maintaining stability in their lives as much as possible during a stressful time. In addition, this agreement must address the health, safety, and welfare of the child.
If parents are not able to come to an agreement during the counseling session, the matter is referred back to the family court calendar.
Child Custody, Support, and Visitation | Superior Court of California | County of Alameda
Legal custody means who makes the decisions about the children’s health, education and welfare. This includes deciding where the children go to school or whether they should get braces on their teeth. If the parents share joint legal custody, both parents can ask schools and doctors for information about the children. It is important to be clear about who makes which decisions so that there is no disagreement later on.
Physical custody
Physical custody refers to the time the children spend with each parent on a regular basis. For example, the children may be with one parent on school days and the other on weekends plus a mid-week dinner visit. The parents can split the holidays and vacation periods. Sometimes, if the parents live near each other and they get along as parents, the children go back and forth without an exact schedule.
Most parents need a schedule. Joint physical custody is a good choice for parents who can agree on a plan on their own or with a mediator’s help. It requires cooperation, flexibility and good communication between the parents. Sometimes, a judge gives both parents joint legal custody but not joint physical custody. This means both parents have equal responsibility for important decisions in the children’s lives. But, the children live with one parent most of the time. The parent who does not have physical custody usually has scheduled time with the children.
Parents should talk to a lawyer about physical and legal custody before making a final agreement.

How to change or get a court order for custody or visitation

To get or change a court order for custody or visitation, you must file forms at the Clerk’s Office. The forms you need depend on your situation.
If you:
Are married to the other parent:
	File a divorce or legal separation or a Petition for Custody and Support of Minor Children.
Are not married to the other parent:
	File a parentage action.
Are not the biological parent and there is no existing family law court file about the children:
	Talk to a lawyer. You may be able to file to start a guardianship case with the Probate Court.
Are not a biological parent and there is a family law court file for the family:
Resources to develop a parenting plan | California Courts | Self Help Guide
Resources to develop a parenting plan | California Courts | Self Help Guide

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Resources to develop a parenting plan
There are many resources to help you develop a parenting plan that meets your child's needs, is developmentally appropriate, and takes into account any safety concerns.

 
Parenting after a separation?
Take a free online course to help you develop a parenting plan. 
Start course

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Parenting plans
These guides include information about what you and your child's other parent might consider when making a plan. These are just guides, your schedule will reflect your child's and family's needs.

Parenting plans at different ages from Superior Court of Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Superior Court has information about creating a parenting plan (including sample schedules) for children under 3, from 3 to 5, 6 to 9, 10 to 13, and 14 to 18 years old.

Planning for parenting time from the Arizona Supreme Court
The Arizona Supreme Court has created a Guide for Parents Living Apart with sample plans for children of different ages.