California Family Court Case Summary Builder

Case summary builder

Start with what you can support.

Your entries stay in this browser tab. They are not sent to CourtAhead, saved to an account, or included in analytics.

Who are you preparing to meet?

The brief changes to fit the kind of help that person can provide.

Court self-helpForms, procedure, and general legal informationLawyer consultationLegal analysis, advice, and possible limited scope

0 of 6 sections started

01Identify the matter

Use initials or leave optional fields blank if you are on a shared device.

California countyCase number OptionalYour roleNext known court event Optional

02Name the issue tracks

Choose the areas you want the meeting to cover. This does not determine the legal issues in the case.

Child custody or parenting timeChild supportSpousal or partner supportProperty or debtFinancial disclosuresRestraining order or safetyFiling or serviceUpcoming hearingOrder or judgmentAnother issue

03Describe the current situation

Write the shortest neutral version you can. Separate what happened from what you think it means.

What brought you to this meeting?0/900

04Map the key events

Add up to 4 events. A date or document label is a working entry until you check the supporting record.

01DateEventWhat supports this?

02DateEventWhat supports this?

03DateEventWhat supports this?

04DateEventWhat supports this?

05Inventory the meeting records

“Have” means only that you marked a copy as available. It does not prove filing, delivery, authenticity, or legal effect.

Current signed ordersHearing noticesRequests and responsesProof or record of serviceFinancial forms and supporting recordsRelevant communicationsCurrent court case recordOther supporting records

06Focus the court-process question

Self-help staff can explain procedures, forms, and options. They cannot give legal advice, represent either side, or tell you what you should do.

Questions for court self-help0/900

Self-help services vary by court. Staff are not your lawyer, and conversations are not attorney-client privileged.

Focused legal help

A lawyer can handle part of a case while you handle the rest.

California Courts calls this limited-scope representation. Examples include advice, preparing documents, coaching for a hearing, working on a specific issue, or handling a more complicated task while the client handles others.

Read the complete meeting-preparation guide →

What this builder does not doIt does not create an attorney-client relationship or a scope agreement.

A summary can make a consultation more focused. The lawyer must still assess the case, conflicts, timing, and whether a proposed limited scope is reasonable and acceptable.

California CourtsLimited-scope representation↗California CourtsFree or low-cost legal help↗California Rules of CourtRule 5.425: family-law limited scope↗Judicial Council formFL-950 limited-scope notice↗State Bar of CaliforniaPublic help and certified referrals↗

Reviewed August 25, 2026. This tool provides organization and general legal information, not legal advice. It cannot determine what help you need, whether a lawyer will accept a limited engagement, or whether the summary is complete. Read CourtAhead’s editorial standards.

Strengthen the brief

Gather the records that support it.

Find record gapsBuild a document inventory→Put events in date orderBuild a timeline from your records→Find official helpOpen your court and self-help center→

Walk into the meeting with the case already mapped.

What needs attention now

Start with what you can support.

A lawyer can handle part of a case while you handle the rest.

Gather the records that support it.

A meeting brief is useful. A connected case map goes further.