The Complete Guide to California Judicial Council (CJC) Forms for Family Law Cases

 

Disclaimer This article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Court forms, filing requirements, and procedures are subject to change. Always verify current form versions at courts.ca.gov and consult a licensed California attorney for guidance specific to your situation. Reading this article does not create an attorney-client relationship with SuperDocs or any attorney.

 

California family law runs on standardized court forms issued by the California Judicial Council — known as CJC forms. Every dissolution, legal separation, nullity, custody modification, and support matter is governed by these forms. Understanding which forms are required, when they must be filed, and how they interrelate is foundational knowledge for any California family law attorney or paralegal.

This guide covers the essential CJC family law forms — what each one does, when it is required, what common mistakes to avoid, and how the forms work together across a typical dissolution case.

 

What Are California Judicial Council Forms?

The California Judicial Council is the policymaking body of the California court system. It creates and maintains standardized forms that must be used for most court filings. These mandatory forms ensure consistency across California’s 58 counties and make it possible for self-represented litigants and attorneys alike to complete required filings.

CJC forms are updated periodically — sometimes significantly — when laws change or the Council revises its policies. Using an outdated version of a form is a common cause of clerk rejection, so it is important to always verify current form versions at courts.ca.gov before filing.

 

The Essential CJC Family Law Forms

 

Form	Name	Purpose
FL-100	Petition	Filed by the Petitioner to initiate divorce, legal separation, or nullity. The foundational document for every dissolution case.
FL-105	UCCJEA Declaration	Required in every case involving minor children. Establishes each child’s residential history to determine which state has jurisdiction over custody.
FL-110	Summons	Served on the Respondent with FL-100. Notifies them of the action and their rights and obligations, including automatic temporary restraining orders (ATROs).
FL-115	Proof of Service of Summons	Filed with the court after the Respondent has been served to prove that service was completed properly.
FL-150	Income & Expense Declaration	Required for any case involving support — child or spousal. Documents both parties’ income, expenses, assets, and obligations.
FL-160	Property Declaration	Detailed schedule of all community and separate property assets and debts. Required for cases with significant property to divide.
FL-300	Request for Order	Used to request temporary or modified orders during the case — for custody, support, attorney fees, or other relief.
FL-311	Child Custody and Visitation Application Attachment	Attaches to FL-300 to specify the custody and visitation schedule being requested.
FL-342	Findings and Order After Hearing	Completed after a court hearing to document the judge’s orders. Must be prepared and submitted promptly after any hearing.

 

How the Forms Work Together: A Typical Dissolution Timeline

Filing Stage

The dissolution begins when the Petitioner files FL-100 (Petition) with the court. If there are minor children, FL-105 (UCCJEA Declaration) must be attached. The clerk issues a Summons (FL-110) at filing, which is served on the Respondent along with FL-100 and FL-105.

The Summons (FL-110) contains Automatic Temporary Restraining Orders (ATROs) that take effect upon service. ATROs place certain restrictions on both parties during the proceedings. Clients should review the ATRO language with their attorney as soon as the Summons is issued.

Service Stage

After the Respondent is served, FL-115 (Proof of Service of Summons) is completed by the process server or the person who served the documents, and filed with the court. This confirms to the court that proper service was accomplished.

Response Stage

The Respondent has an opportunity to file a Response (FL-120) after being served. Response deadlines and the options available to each party after service vary by situation — consult the California Courts self-help resources at courts.ca.gov or a licensed attorney for guidance specific to the case.

Financial Disclosure Stage

California dissolution cases generally involve a financial disclosure process in which both parties exchange information about their income, expenses, assets, and debts. FL-150 (Income and Expense Declaration) is typically required whenever support is at issue. The specific forms and timing involved in financial disclosures can vary — a licensed attorney can help ensure all disclosure requirements are met correctly.

Hearing and Motion Stage

If temporary orders are needed during the case — for support, custody, attorney fees, or exclusive use of property — the requesting party files FL-300 (Request for Order). FL-311 is attached to FL-300 to specify custody and visitation details. After any hearing, the resulting orders are documented on FL-342 (Findings and Order After Hearing), which must be submitted to the court promptly.

Judgment Stage

At the conclusion of the case, the final Judgment (FL-180) and related forms are submitted to the court. The judgment addresses all issues: dissolution, property division, support, and custody. The date of entry of the judgment determines when the parties are legally single.

 

The Most Common CJC Form Mistakes

1.   Using outdated form versions — always verify current versions at courts.ca.gov before filing

2.   Missing companion forms — FL-100 without FL-105 (when children exist) will generally be rejected by the clerk

3.   Inconsistent party names across forms — the petitioner’s name on FL-100 must match exactly on FL-105, FL-115, and all other forms

4.   Wrong county or jurisdiction on FL-100 — verify the three-month county residency requirement

5.   Incomplete FL-150 — all income sources must be disclosed

6.   Delayed FL-342 after hearings — failing to submit promptly can create disputes about what the court actually ordered

 

Keeping Up with CJC Form Updates

The California Judicial Council revises forms regularly. Major changes typically coincide with new legislation or significant court rule amendments. Since 2020, several key family law forms have been substantially revised, including FL-150 and FL-105.

The safest approach is to verify form versions directly at courts.ca.gov before filing, and to use a platform that organizes your case data in a structured workflow so re-entry errors are reduced.

 

How SuperDocs Can Help

SuperDocs is a California court form platform designed for attorneys and paralegals. No lengthy setup, no forms about forms — just open a CJC court form and start typing. Shared case details fill in as you go, and information entered on one form is available across related forms in the same matter. Checkboxes, dates, assets, and other details are tracked behind the scenes so nothing gets missed.

For CJC family law filings, party names, case details, and matter information entered once are available across FL-100, FL-105, FL-110, FL-150, FL-300, and related forms in the same case.

Spend less time on re-entry, more time on the case.

•     Open any court form and start typing — no lengthy setup required

•     Shared case details and contacts are available across related forms — enter data once and reuse it throughout the case

•     Assets, dates, and case details tracked and reused across the entire case

•     Review and edit any field before printing or downloading

•     Save client profiles for use throughout the lifecycle of the case

 

 

Ready to Get Started with SuperDocs? Open any CJC court form and start typing. Try it free for 7 days — no payment required.  Get Started Free at superdocs.com