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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 Using an outdated version of a form is a common cause of clerk rejection, so it is critical to always use the current version.
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. Drives the guideline child support calculation. |
|
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.
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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 proves 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 download from the California Courts website or use software that auto-updates
2. Missing companion forms — FL-100 without FL-105 (when children exist) will be rejected by the clerk
3. Inconsistent party names across forms — the petitioner's name on FL-100 must exactly match 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 — the Income and Expense Declaration is the most rejected form; all income sources must be disclosed
6. Delayed FL-342 after hearings — failing to submit timely 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.
Law firms that manually download and store PDFs risk working from outdated versions without realizing it. The safest approach is to use a platform that maintains a current, up-to-date library of all CJC forms — so you are never accidentally filing last year's version.
How SuperDocs Manages All CJC Forms for You
SuperDocs maintains a complete, always-current library of California Judicial Council family law and civil forms. When you complete a matter in SuperDocs, you work with the current version of every form — automatically.
More importantly, SuperDocs understands the relationships between forms. When you are working on a dissolution matter with minor children, SuperDocs knows to include FL-105. When you are filing a Request for Order involving custody, SuperDocs includes FL-311. You never have to manually track which forms are required for which situation.
• Complete library of CJC family law forms — FL-100 through FL-342 and beyond
• Forms always updated to the current CJC-approved version
• Automatic companion form inclusion based on case type
• Enter client data once — all forms populate consistently
• Covers LA County local forms and statewide CJC forms
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