Unified Family Court

Family Court is comprised of three distinct areas:

• Family Law Division of the Civil Clerk's Office, which processes filings and schedules court hearings.
• Family Law Facilitator's Office, which assists parties who have questions about child support, spousal support, health insurance, and the availability of community resources to help families;
• Family Court Services, which provides child custody recommending counseling and helps parents resolve child-focused disputes once parents are living apart.

Often, individuals who are filing cases in the Family Court are undergoing stressful and difficult transitions in their lives. Their relationships may be changing. They may be making difficult financial decisions and working out arrangements to share time with minor children. They may be adopting children or preparing to give up their parental rights. They may be victims of domestic violence.

The Family Court is focused on helping parties deal with the legal aspects of these often difficult life transitions. For those who have lawyers, their attorneys will help them resolve their cases and are familiar with the programs and services that are available to help individuals and families. For those who are not represented by attorneys, the Family Court has developed programs and court calendars to help parties who are self represented and may not understand court forms, procedures and what is happening in court hearings. Services for non-English speaking parties are also provided, when possible.

Family Law Facilitator's Office - Overview

The Legal Self Help Center offers in-person and remote services according to the following schedule:

• In person drop-in services: 8:30 am to 12 noon, Tuesday through Thursday
  • Please arrive by 10:30 am to ensure time for assistance.
• Email services: 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday
• Phone hours: 8:30 am to 12 noon, Monday through Friday, and 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Tuesday and Thursday

Zoom drop-In clinics: 8:30 am to 12 noon, Monday and Friday
Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 160 040 9915
Passcode: 350144

Self-Help Phone and Email Information:

• Phone: (415) 444-7130
• Email: selfhelp@marin.courts.ca.gov

The Family Law Facilitator's Office is available to help both parties who have questions about child support, spousal support, child custody and visitation, establishment of parental responsibility for minor children, health insurance, and the availability of community resources to help families. Services include: intake, information and referral to legal services partners, individual assistance with legal document preparation; bilingual assistance and legal reference materials for non-English speakers; assistance in conducting self-guided legal research; and coordination of volunteers and interns who provide direct customer services.

The Family Law Facilitator, a licensed attorney employed by the court, provides assistance to parents involved in parentage actions and other family law matters concerning child and/or spousal support. The services of the Family Law Facilitator include: distributing court forms and voluntary declarations of paternity, providing assistance to parties in completing forms, preparing child and spousal support calculations, as well as mediation of support matters. The Family Law Facilitator also provides referrals to the Department of Child Support Services, Family Court Services, and other community agencies providing services to families. The Facilitator CANNOT help people who are represented by attorneys. The Facilitator CANNOT give legal advice or represent parties in court and is not responsible for the outcomes of cases.

Although the Family Law Facilitator's Office is staffed with licensed attorneys and other legal support specialists, they are neutral and do not represent either party. There is no confidential attorney-client relationship between a party and the Family Law Facilitator. Whenever possible, individuals are strongly encouraged to retain their own attorneys.

The Family Law Facilitator is a great resource for individuals who have cases in the Family Court. Because the Family Law Facilitator does not give legal advice or represent parties, both parents often use the Family Law Facilitator to help them resolve disputes involving family support and issues surrounding children.

What to Bring

To ensure that the meeting is helpful and productive, individuals are required to bring:

All of their court papers; Paystubs for the last two months or other current income verification; Copies of any agreements reached or child custody recommending counselor's recommendations in counseling; Any other information that seems relevant to the court case.

Juvenile Court has jurisdiction over court -related matters for minors (persons under 18 years of age.) Individuals may also be ordered to appear in Juvenile Court after the age of 18, if they are charged with a crime committed before they turned 18.

California law mandates that juvenile proceedings and records are strictly confidential. These proceedings and records cannot be viewed by anyone other than the parties involved in the case. In rare instances, parties may petition the Court to disclose juvenile records. Unless there is an order from the Juvenile Court authorizing the disclosure of juvenile records, no such public access is permitted.