Family Law
Family Law is a division of the Court that considers cases involving family related issues, which could include divorce, establishment of parental relationships, child custody and support and the issuance of restraining orders in domestic violence cases.
Dissolution: Better known as divorce, divides the assets and debts of a couple, determines custody and visitation of their children, sets support and returns parties an unmarried status.
Legal Separation: Determines the same issues as a dissolution but does not return parties to an unmarried status.
Nullity: Restores a couple to a status of never having been married.
Parentage: Also known as paternity is a case that involves the establishment of who are the parents of a child and determines child custody and visitation.
Domestic Violence: A restraining order proceeding that seeks to obtain an order to protect a person from physical violence from a family member or a person they may have lived with or had a dating relationship.
For further information or assistance you may contact our Self-Help Center, www.courts.ca.gov or a private attorney.