California family-law form guide
What does form FL‑300 do?
The Request for Order asks a judge to make or change specific family-law orders and carries the information for the resulting hearing.
Short answer: FL‑300 is used in an existing or newly opened California family-law case to ask a judge for specific orders—for example, about custody, parenting time, support, property control or attorney’s fees. It also shows the hearing date and may identify orders the court made before the hearing. What a party requested and what the judge ordered must be tracked separately.
California Courts says FL‑300 asks the court to make decisions about specific issues in a family-law case and is also used to set the hearing date, time and location.
Open the official FL‑300 page ↗What is FL‑300 used for?
A party can use FL‑300 to ask for one or several orders the court is allowed to make in that case. Common subjects include:
- child custody and parenting time;
- child support;
- temporary or changed spousal support;
- control of property or payment of certain debts;
- attorney’s fees and costs; and
- other orders related to the family-law case.
The form can also be used to ask the judge to change an existing order, including after a judgment. Some requests use a different process—for example, asking for or renewing a domestic-violence restraining order.
What should you read on page 1?
California Courts identifies four separate kinds of information on the first page:
The date, time and location for the court event.
The boxes show what the person is asking the judge to decide.
“Change” or “Temporary emergency orders” may be checked.
Item 7 or attachments may contain orders that apply before the hearing.
The requested details and the facts offered in support are on pages 2–4 and in attachments. Read the entire packet; page 1 is the map, not the complete request.
Does “temporary emergency orders” mean they were granted?
No. It means a party asked for urgent orders before the regular hearing. California Courts says that if the judge granted them, item 7 at the bottom of page 1 will be checked and the orders will be attached or stated on FL‑305.
Which forms commonly travel with FL‑300?
- FL‑320: a blank Responsive Declaration is generally included so the other party can respond.
- FL‑150: an Income and Expense Declaration may be required for support or attorney-fee issues; a blank copy may also need to be served.
- FL‑305: Temporary Emergency Orders may state what the court ordered before the hearing.
- Issue-specific attachments: custody, support and other requests can require additional forms.
- FL‑330 or FL‑335: proof-of-service forms report personal or mail service.
- Local forms: the superior court may have local requirements.
The packet depends on what is being requested and the existing case status. Use the official Request for Order instructions for the specific issue.
Start with the event, not the definition.
Find the hearing, inspect current orders, preserve service facts and build the separate response track.
Which FL‑300 statuses must stay separate?
A party completed and signed a request. It may still be only a draft.
The request entered the court record and received hearing information.
Another adult delivered the required packet and completed proof of service.
The judge made orders documented in a signed court order.
A copy of FL‑300 cannot establish all four stages. Keep the file-stamped request, completed proof of service, and signed order as separate records.
How is FL‑300 served?
The service method depends on the case status, what is requested and what the court ordered. California Courts says personal service is required in some situations, including when the other party has not appeared in an unfinished case, when temporary emergency orders were granted or when the court orders personal service.
When mail service is allowed, additional address-verification rules may apply to requests that change final custody, parenting-time or support orders. The normal advance-service period for the request is different from the response deadline. Follow the official instructions for the actual situation rather than copying a date from another packet.
What does FL‑300 not prove?
- It does not prove the allegations or declarations are true.
- It does not prove the judge granted the requested orders.
- A completed copy does not prove it was filed.
- A file-stamped copy does not by itself prove valid service.
- A hearing date does not prove the matter was heard or decided.
- An order requested on FL‑300 is not the same record as a signed order after hearing.
Official sources
- California Courts: FL‑300 form page
- California Courts: FL‑300 Information Sheet
- California Courts: How to get an order in a family-law case
- California Courts: What an FL‑300 tells a recipient
- California Courts: When and how mail service may be used
- California Courts: Personal service of an FL‑300
This page provides legal information, not legal advice. Read CourtAhead’s editorial and source standards.