A case begins
One party files papers. Starting a case is separate from properly giving those papers to the other party.
California family law
A family-law case is not one straight line.
Filings, service, financial information, temporary orders, settlement and hearings can overlap. The right next step depends on your case, your court and what has actually happened.
Educational—not predictiveCalifornia scope
Possible case pathsEducational map
YouCourt & sharedOther party
Case beginsStarting papers
Separate eventService
May overlapTemporary issues
Parallel trackDisclosures
Agreement, hearing, or another request
Not a predictionCheck local rules
Orient yourself before choosing a step.
This map is educational, not a prediction. Local court rules and orders can change what your case requires.
The other party responds
A response tells the court how that person wants issues handled. The applicable timing depends on what was served and how.
Information is exchanged
Financial disclosures, evidence gathering and missing records can become parallel tracks.
Temporary issues may arise
A party may ask the court for orders before the entire case is resolved.
Issues narrow or resolve
Agreement, mediation, further requests and court decisions can move different issues along different paths.
The case reaches judgment
A case is not finished merely because papers were submitted; signed orders and court status matter.
Free official help exists
You do not have to figure out every procedure alone.
Every California superior court provides self-help services. The California Courts Self-Help Guide also publishes official step-by-step information and court forms.
1
Check your actual papers
Names, dates, court location and form numbers affect the next step.
2
Check local requirements
Your superior court may have local forms, procedures or hearing rules.
3
Get legal help when stakes are high
Strategy, contested custody, safety, complex finances or uncertain law may require a lawyer.
Current guides and tools
Start with the event in front of you.
Prepare the case for self-help or a lawyer
Bring a neutral case summary, the records behind it, and questions shaped for the kind of help you are seeking.
Prepare for the meeting →Turn the case record into a focused working brief
Choose a court self-help or lawyer mode, then organize issues, events, supporting records, and questions privately in your browser.
Build my case summary →Go straight to official help in your county
Find the California superior court, its local self-help information and the statewide self-help locator.
Find my court →Map the California divorce dates you already know
Build a private timeline from known records without uploading files or guessing legal deadlines.
Build your timeline →Responding to California divorce papers
What the papers mean, the commonly stated response window and the facts you must verify.
Read the guide →What happens after filing FL-120
Track service, proof, disclosures and later case paths as separate events.
Map the next steps →Check the court record before assuming the status
Separate a missed date, request for default, entry of default and judgment.
Review the default sequence →Build the disclosure packet around its supporting records
Understand what is exchanged, what is filed, and why FL‑150 can belong to two different case events.
Map the disclosure packet →Check the financial disclosure packet for gaps
Review core forms, supporting records and proof of exchange privately in your browser.
Check the packet →You received FL-300. Start with page 1.
Separate the hearing request, response, service and signed-order records into distinct events.
Map the hearing request →Build a hearing brief from your records
Organize the notice, issues, evidence, mediation, court access, and written order without guessing deadlines.
Prepare for the hearing →Read the complete signed order
Compare the request, response, hearing record, and complete order before pulling out obligations.
Understand the order →Find the gaps in the family-court record
Separate documents you have from records to locate and legal status that still needs verification.
Inventory my documents →Turn a returned filing into a correction checklist
Start with the reason on the notice while keeping receipt, acceptance and legal effect distinct.
Decode the rejection →Map the full correction and verification path
Preserve the rejected version, check local instructions, resubmit and verify court acceptance.
Read the guide →See what supports each important fact
Keep originals and separate working copies, filed records, delivered papers, and material the court considered.
Organize family-court evidence →Built for self-represented divorce
Build a map of your actual case.
Turn scattered documents and unfamiliar court steps into a case map you can actually follow.