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The Superior Court of California - County of Ventura - FAQs
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Adoption

Q:  What is an adoption?
A:  An adoption is an action to take a child (or adult) of another into one's family and give him or her the rights, privileges and duties of a child and heir.

Q:  What is the filing fee for an adoption?
A:  The fee is $20 per child.

Q:  Where do I file my documents?
A:  All documents should be filed at the Juvenile and Probate Courthouse, located at 4353 E. Vineyard Avenue in Oxnard.

Q:  How long does an adoption take?
A:  Once a petition is filed with the court, the adoption is usually finalized within one year. The actual time is based on when the relinquishment 
 of the parental rights of the natural parent(s) is obtained. There are cases which may take more than one year depending on individual circumstances.

Q:  Can I get a copy of my own adoption papers?
A:  The adoptive parents or child may request a Certificate of Adoption which states the date and place of adoption, the child's birth date, 
 the names of the adoptive parents and the name the child has taken. A release of any further information requires an order from the court. 
 The form, Petition for Authorization to Inspect Adoption and Birth Record Information and to Obtain Copies (VN200), is available on this website. 

Q:  Where do I find the papers to start an adoption?
A:  An adoption form packet is available on this website on the form packets page.

Q:  Where can I get more information about adoptions?
A:  You may find more information about adoptions at the California Courts website (http://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-adoption.htm) and 
 the California Department of Public Health website (http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/birthdeathmar/) 

Q:  Are there any additional fees in an adoption case?
A:  Human Resources Agency is required to conduct an investigation. The fee is $64 per hour with a maximum fee of $700.
Juvenile Court: Sacramento Superior Court

prove anything, but it is important for you to know what your child is accused of having done. You have the right to receive a copy of the petition.

My child was arrested and taken into custody. What will happen?


 	 Your child was most likely taken to the Sacramento County Youth Detention Facility at 9601 Kiefer Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95827 (cross street is Bradshaw Road).

 	 	One of the following could occur:

The arresting officer may release your child back to your custody.
Your child may be referred to a community agency providing shelter, care, diversion, or counseling.
Your child may be required to return to the police station rather than to the probation department (this is sometimes referred to as cited back).
You and your child may be given a Notice to Appear, telling you what you and your child must do and when you must do it.
Your child could be detained in the Youth Detention Facility. Your child will be able to make two telephone calls no later than one hour after
 	 	arrest. If the Probation Intake Officer is going to question your child about what happened, the officer must tell your 
 	 	child that he or she has the right to remain silent, that anything that your child says will be used against him or her,
 	 	that he or she has a right to be represented by an attorney, and that the court will appoint an attorney if your child cannot afford one. If your child is
 	 	detained, the officer must take immediate steps to notify you.


 	 	The decision to detain your child is made by Probation Intake and not the arresting officer. The Probation Officer may let your child go
 	 	home without asking the district attorney to file a petition. Or, your child may go home and the probation officer will refer the case
 	 	to the district attorney who will decide whether or not to file a petition. In this instance, restrictions will be placed on your child
 	 	as a condition of being allowed to go home. If your child does not return home, the law requires that a petition be filed very quickly, usually
 	 	within 48 hours from the time the child is taken into custody by the arresting officer. There will be a court hearing, called a Detention Hearing, 
 	 	the next day that the court is in session.
The Superior Court of California - County of Ventura - Adoption
The Superior Court of California - County of Ventura - Adoption

 

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Adoption

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	To make an appointment with the Clerkâs Office, please visit the homepage and click the 
	âSchedule an Appointmentâ button. Be sure that you schedule your appointment for the correct department. 
	Appointments scheduled in the incorrect department are subject to cancellation. In accordance with 
	the 2nd Amended Administrative Order 22.04, walk-in services are currently unavailable. An appointment is required. 
	Customers are limited to one 30-minute appointment per day.

	Filings are accepted in the drop box located at the main entrance of the courthouse, or by US Mail.
	

* * * PUBLIC NOTICE * * *

Court Appearance Information for Adoption Hearings
LawHelp Interactive Programs - equalaccess
Generates and partially fills out forms necessary for a default, default with agreement (hybrid), or stipulated judgment in a divorce case
Detailed information about this program here: Dissolution Judgment program Coversheet

SRL, with assistance recommended

Domestic Violence Programs

Petitioner and Respondent programs.
Two versions of the petitioner program – with TRO Hearing Notice and without.  Courts that would like to use the petitioner program with TRO Hearing Notice should contact us at HotDocs@jud.ca.gov your local form included the program.
Programs include information designed to enable self-represented litigants to use the programs on their own. However, it is recommended that petitioners seek help with filing a restraining order through domestic violence advocates or the self-help center.

SRL, with assistance recommended

Elder Abuse Restraining Order Petition

This program will help the user fill out the forms needed to ask the court for an elder or dependent adult abuse restraining order
Detailed information about this program here:
EARO Petition Coversheet

Staff/Workshop

Elder Abuse Restraining Order Response

This program will help the user fill out the forms needed to respond to a request for an elder or dependent adult abuse restraining order petition
Detailed information about this program here:
EARO Response Coversheet

Staff/Workshop

Fee Waiver Request-Guardianship/Conservatorship

Standalone fee waiver request for guardianship and conservatorship matters.
Can be used when a guardian or conservator represents a ward or conservatee in a civil matter.
Questions are designed to help the user fill out the FW-001-GC and the FW-003-GC for a single ward or conservatee.

SRL

Guardianship Program 

Assists proposed guardians to present a complete petition for guardianship for up to five children.
Includes probate fee waiver petition.
Courts that would like to offer this program should contact us at HotDocs@jud.ca.gov in order to provide local court information and indicate whether the court accepts the GC-210 or the GC-210(P).

Staff/Workshop

Income and Expense Declaration
Options other than a guardianship | California Courts | Self Help Guide
Other legal options
Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit: You sign a form to get the authority to enroll the child in school and get medical care
If the child lives with you in California, you can sign a Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit. Parents do not need to sign the form, but they can cancel it at any time. 
This form lets you enroll the child in school and consent to medical care related to school. For example, you can consent to vaccinations or physical exams. If you're the child's relative, you can also make medical care decisions outside of the school context. But someone not related to the child can only consent to medical care related to school. The Caregiver's Authorization Affdavit form lists who qualifies as a child's relative.

The Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit does not get filed with the court. And it does not have to be notarized. Make several copies so you can give one to the child's school and the different medical providers.

 

You must sign a new Caregiver's Affidavit each year. And it's not valid if the child no longer lives with you. You must let the school and health care provider know if the child moves out of your home.
Written Child Care Agreement: You and the parents sign papers giving you rights
If you’re concerned that a service provider won’t accept a Caregiver’s Authorization Affidavit because it’s not signed by the child’s parent, there’s another option. Parents can sign a written agreement (technically called a “power of attorney”) giving you the authority to care for their child if they know they will not be able to take care of the child temporarily. For example, if the parents will be away for work, in jail, or getting medical treatment. The parents may want you to sign the form, too, to make sure you accept the duty to care for their children.
In this agreement, a parent can give you the right to make any decision for the child that a guardian would be able to make under the law.
2001 Budget Analysis:Department of Child Support Services
Performance and Incentive Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-200), California has been subject to federal automation penalties which are levied in the form of a
reduced federal share in these administrative costs. Chapter 479, Statutes of 1999 (AB 150, Aroner) provides that the distribution of penalties between the state
and counties be determined through the annual budget process. Chapter 479 also provides that the state General Fund could be used to backfill for the loss of
federal support, or the state also could distribute some share of the penalties to the counties.
Total Penalties Could Reach $1 Billion. From 1997-98 through 1999-00, California's child support program incurred penalties totaling $104 million and the
state General Fund backfilled the loss of these federal funds. The penalty is set by federal law at 25 percent and 30 percent of estimated federal expenditures for
child support administration for federal fiscal years (FFY) 2000 and 2001, respectively. California faces a $114 million penalty in 2000-01 and an estimated
$163 million penalty in 2001-02. Thus, California will have incurred penalties of about $380 million through 2001-02.
We note that with even modest increases in administrative expenditures, child support penalties could approach or exceed $200 million for each of the years
during the three-year period of 2002-03 through 2004-05. When added to the penalties incurred through 2001-02, this means that California could incur
penalties totaling almost $1 billion over this time period. The statewide automation system is scheduled to meet federal requirements in 2005, at which time the
penalties would be discontinued.
Counterproductive Nature of the Penalties. In previous analyses, we have shown that the principal goal of the child support program—the collection of
support—is strongly related to the amount of fiscal resources committed to the program (that is, administrative expenditures). (For further detail, see our April
1999 report entitled The Child Support Enforcement Program From a Fiscal Perspective: How Can Performance Be Improved?) We concluded that
administrative effort has a particularly strong relationship to collections—explaining about 70 percent of the variation in collections between counties. In other
California’s Child Welfare System: Addressing Disproportionalities and Disparities
FM services may be offered to a family on a voluntary basis at any point of a family’s child welfare system involvement, or may be court mandated as a condition of a child remaining in the home. 
Differential Response (DR). After assessing an allegation and finding a family is at relatively low risk, rather than offering services through the child welfare system, counties may opt to refer families to community‑based organizations, such as Family Resource Centers, as described in more detail in the box below. DR, also referred to as alternative response, is an optional service element and currently 38 counties operate a DR program.

Family Resource Centers (FRCs)
FRCs are defined in California statute as community‑based organizations with the goal of preventing child maltreatment and strengthening families. An FRC may be located in, or administered by, different entities, such as a local educational agency or a community/neighborhood resource center. California has nearly 500 FRCs, which are funded in a variety of ways, including through philanthropy and local grants. Recent state funding in response to the pandemic also supported FRCs: around $15 million General Fund was provided across the 2019‑20, 2020‑21, and 2021‑22 budget years. Because FRCs aim to serve their direct communities, services offered vary center by center, but may include services such as parenting classes and support groups, one‑on‑one counseling and support, emergency assistance, child care, and access to behavioral health programs and supports. 

Substantiated Allegations May Result in Foster Placement. When a county substantiates an allegation and determines that the child cannot remain safely in the home, the county may remove the child from the custody of the parent(s)/caregiver(s) and place the child into foster care. (A juvenile court ultimately must confirm the maltreatment allegation, but prior to a court hearing, a county may place a child into foster care on an emergency basis.) Depending on the needs of the child, foster placement may be with a resource family (formerly known as foster families in California), in a congregate care setting (a more group‑like setting), or in a more independent placement for older youth.
How to file court papers | California Courts | Self Help Guide
If you're filing a document in a case that’s already been started, file at the same court with the same case number.
How to file
You can always file in person or by mail. In many courts, you can also file online (called e-filing), by fax, or by drop box. You can check on the court's website whether or not it allows e-filing or fax filing.
What's a dropbox? Learn more  
A dropbox is a box outside a courthouse or in the clerk's office where you can drop off court papers for filing.

 
 
 
 
If you use a dropbox, make sure all the originals and any copies are secured together (with a clip or in an envelope) and that you've included any filing fee or fee waiver if required. If you don't want to have to go back to court to pick up the filed copies, also include a self-addressed stamped envelope with enough postage for the copies to be mailed back to you once the clerk files them. 

If you file by mail, include a self-addressed stamped envelope with enough postage so the clerk can mail the copies back to you. Also, include any filing fee or a fee waiver, if required.
What you file
File the originals. Also include any copies you're filing, unless you're efiling or filing by fax. Include any payment or a fee waiver, unless what you're filing doesn't require a fee. Find the court fees.
Who can file
Anyone 18 or over can file the forms. You do not need to personally file them.
Sometimes it helps to file papers in person, yourself. Learn more 

If you file yourself, you can fix any errors on the spot if the clerk points them out. 
If you forgot to sign somewhere or did not include a local form, you could sign and fill out the form. 
If you are getting a court date, you may be able to have a say about which court date works best for you.
Find out if you qualify for summary dissolution | California Courts | Self Help Guide
That you want to end the marriage or domestic partnership

That neither of you will ever get spousal support

How you will split up any property and debts

This means that you will both sign an agreement saying you will not get support and that describes how you want things split (a property agreement). 

Either spouse can change their mind and stop the summary dissolution. 
Either one of you can stop the summary dissolution during the 6 month period while waiting for the divorce to become final.
To end the process, you file a Notice of Revocation of Petition for Summary Dissolution (form FL-830) with the court. This notice invalidates (cancels) the summary dissolution case and the judgment. If you or your spouse still want to get divorced, you can file for a regular divorce.
 

Summary Dissolution
What's next?

If you qualify for summary dissolution, you can go to step-by-step instructions for this process.
If you're in a domestic partnership and you qualify for a summary dissolution, you can end your partnership through the Secretary of State at no cost. 
 
If you don't qualify because you don't meet one or more of the criteria listed above, you will need to follow the standard divorce process.

Go to Summary Dissolution
 Get an overview of the process for divorcing by summary dissolution and navigate to step-by-step instructions for each part.
 

Go to Summary Dissolution for Domestic Partners
 Get step-by-step instructions to end a domestic partnership by summary dissolution through the Secretary of State.
 

Go to the standard divorce process
 Get an overview of standard California divorce process and navigate to step-by-step instructions for each part.
 

 

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Guardianships: Sacramento Superior Court

Guardianship is a court process in which someone other than a parent is given 
 custody of a child or when a parent or other person is given authority over a 
 child's property. The child, called the minor or ward, must be under the age 
 of 18. A legal guardian is an adult the court chooses to be responsible for, and 
 to care for a child, to manage the child's property, or both.

 A guardianship of the estate allows the guardian to make financial decisions for 
 a child, and is often filed when a minor is to receive a large monetary gift or 
 inheritance.

 	Both parents and non-parents can become guardians of the person and/or the estate for 
 children.

Guardianship of the Person Only Case Map

Are There Alternatives to Guardianship?

 As an alternative to a guardianship, a 
 Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit may 
 be completed. This form allows a relative to enroll a child in school and 
 get medical treatment.

 	In lieu of a guardianship of the estate, you may ask the court to require the funds to be
 	placed into a blocked account. Once the funds are placed into the blocked account,
 	withdrawals are allowed only with prior court approval.

Where Should I File for Guardianship?

 	A Petition for Guardianship may be filed:

in the county where the minor resides, or
in the county which is in the best interest of the minor.
 	
 	(See Probate Code §2201 - external link)


	If there are prior family law custody orders or guardianship orders involving the minor,
	a petition for modification of those orders should be filed in the county where the orders
	were issued. Failure to file a petition where such orders exist may result in dismissal of
	your case. (See 
	Probate Code §2203 - external link and Greene v. Superior Court (1951) 37 C2d 307)

	If a minor does not reside in Sacramento County or has just recently moved to Sacramento
	County, a party to the proceeding such as a parent, sibling over the age of 12, or
	grandparent may petition the court to transfer the case to the county where the minor
	resides.
California’s Child Welfare System: Addressing Disproportionalities and Disparities
The child welfare system also provides monthly maintenance payments to children in adoptive and guardianship placements, which are not included in the above figures.
California’s Child Welfare System Is Locally Implemented, With Requirements and Oversight From State and Federal Governments. Local child welfare agencies implement child welfare programs on behalf of the state Department of Social Services (DSS), with oversight from the state and federal governments. Local agencies include county child welfare departments, county probation departments, and certain tribes. (We will refer to the various types of local child welfare agencies as “counties” throughout this report for simplicity.) Funding for child welfare programs comes from the federal and state governments, along with local funds. The federal and state governments set standards in terms of the service components that all local child welfare agencies must implement and oversee the quality of service delivery. 
Child Maltreatment May Take the Form of Abuse or Neglect. “Maltreatment” refers broadly to any action or failure to act by a caregiver that puts a child at risk of or results in serious physical or emotional harm. Federal law outlines minimum definitions of what constitutes child maltreatment, but leaves more detailed definitions and legislation to states. California law specifies treatment constituting physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect (both general neglect and severe neglect). Specifically, Section 300 of the Welfare and Institutions Code describes the circumstances under which children may come under the jurisdiction of the California juvenile court, while Sections 11165.1‑11165.6 of the Penal Code describe the acts and omissions that comprise different types of child abuse and neglect. The box below provides an overview of the definition of maltreatment focused on neglect, as that is a primary focus of this report.

California’s Definition of Neglect, One Form of Child Maltreatment
State statute defines various types of child abuse and neglect, which include parent/caregiver actions or failures to act resulting in serious physical or emotional harm or illness (or substantial risk of such harm or illness). In particular, statute defines neglect as due to:

The failure or inability of the child’s parent or guardian to adequately supervise or protect the child.