COVID-19: Family Law Resources
Stay up to date with the latest information about how the pandemic is affecting the family court system and those it serves.
You can take action now to resolve your legal matter during the COVID-19 crisis.
Doing so will likely be beneficial to your case moving forward. It is important to know the options available to you right now, and how to best proceed.
News & Resources
We’re here to help with court information, safety tips, and even a little humor during these trying times.
You Can Take Action Now
The courts are open
The courts are open during the pandemic, albeit in a limited capacity. All courts are hearing emergency matters for child custody and domestic violence restraining orders. Some courts are accepting filings for non-emergency matters, and others are accepting and processing documents.
Whatever your issue is, do not delay taking action toward resolving your matter.
Avoid the ripple effect of court delays
It is important to act now because you can take steps now to mitigate the ripple effect of court delays that the pandemic is causing. For example, filing your documents now may preserve your hearing date. Sending your documents for receipt by the court now may preserve your place in line for filing.
At a minimum, it may benefit you to prepare your documents for immediate filing upon the conclusion of the pandemic. Your action plan will vary depending on the specific facts of your case and the county where you file.
Save your place in line
Waiting to take action can cause a substantial delay to your case. Your case will be set for hearing after those who did not wait.
Filing now, if possible, you also may be able to preserve important rights for yourself, like “retroactivity” in support matters. You should be discussing with your attorney whether this is an option for you.
If your county is not accepting filings, but it is accepting the receipt of documents, it is important to speak with your attorney about your options in submitting your documents for processing now. This will help to secure your place in line so that you can avoid additional delays caused by the anticipated congestion and rush filings which will inevitably occur when courts begin operating at their full capacities again.
Courthouse Updates
Superior Courts in California have limited operations during the outbreak. Learn what this means for your case. Click or tap on your county for the latest information.
The court is accepting paperwork and scheduling hearings for child support modifications resulting from job loss.
If your matter falls within the category of time-sensitive and essential proceedings, you can file your documents via fax filing at (909) 708-8586 or in person in the civil clerk’s office at the San Bernardino Justice Center located at 247 W. 3rd St. San Bernardino, CA 92415, 3rd floor.
Remote appearances can be accomplished via CourtCall.
Court Call: (888) 882-6878
Please note that face coverings are required to enter the courthouse as required by county mandate.
Click Here to visit the SB-Court.org website for the latest court news updates and legal notices released by the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino.
The courthouses of Orange County Superior Court remain open for limited in-person services. Members of the public should NOT visit a courthouse unless they have been notified by the Court that they have an in-person hearing or they have scheduled an appointment to enter the building for counter services.
This approach allows the Court to manage the visitor level at each courthouse, while following health protocols. The Court is continually working to provide Safe Access to Justice and requires face coverings for anyone entering a courthouse. Exemptions issued by anyone other than the Court will not be honored.
For Court ADA accommodations and exclusions, please email ADAinformation@occourts.org or visit: http://www.occourts.org/directory/ada/. Social distancing rules will also be strictly enforced in all facilities; thus, the number of individuals entering public courtrooms and elevators will be subject to space limitations. Persons displaying possible coronavirus symptoms will not be allowed to enter Court facilities..
Kostas Kalaitzidis | Public Information Officer
Orange County Superior Court
Click Here to visit the OCCourts.org website for the latest court news updates and legal notices released by the Superior Court of California, County of Orange.
(September 2020) – In Riverside County, the Family Law Court has begun to restore services in family law matters. Previously, the courts had enacted holiday provision that limited the court to hearing only emergency matters. Effective May 18, that provision has been lifted. Adoption and Termination of Parental Rights filings resumed in June.
Clerk’s Offices
Emergency MattersClerk’s offices at the Larson Justice Center (Indio), Southwest Justice Center (Murrieta), and Hall of Justice (Riverside) will remain open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for processing emergency matters as follows:
- File or pick-up any type of restraining order;
- Request family law emergency orders (i.e. custody/visitation);
- Request other types of emergency ex parte application relief; and
- Stipulations.
Non-Emergency Matters
Customers may continue to file non-emergency documents in one of three ways:
- Online via the eSubmit Document Submission Portal at https://www.riverside.courts.ca.gov/FormsFiling/ESubmit/esubmit.php. The eSubmit program allows court customers to electronically deliver documents to the court securely via the internet. The eSubmit fee of $1.85 is suspended through June 30, 2020.
- Mailed or delivered to the court for processing. Addresses can be found on the court’s website; or
- By placement in a drop box at any of the open justice centers. Drop boxes are available for customers to drop off filings for submission to the clerk’s office.
Courtroom Proceedings
In-Person ProceedingsEffective May 18, 2020, the court resumed in-person hearings on permanent domestic violence restraining orders at each of the open justice centers. Notices of dates, times, and locations of in-person hearings will be mailed to parties. For non-DVRO matters, there is no stated date of return for in person hearings.
Telephonic Appearances
Effective June 8, 2020, the court resumed family law calendar matters, with the exception of trials, trial readiness conferences and mandatory settlement conferences. We are getting notices for telephonic appearances for hearings set in January. All hearings (non-DVRO) are telephonic “indefinitely.” Notices of dates, times and locations of telephonic hearings will be mailed to parties.
Child Custody Recommending Counselor (CCRC) Appointments
The court will commence child custody and visitation CCRC appointments on May 18, 2020. These sessions will be conducted via videoconference. Notice of the new or rescheduled appointments will be mailed to all parties.
Click Here to visit the Riverside.courts.ca.gov website for the latest court news updates and legal notices released by the Superior Court of California, County of Riverside.
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, public access to courthouses is restricted to authorized persons only and measures to enforce social distancing in courthouse hallways and courtrooms will be strictly enforced as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations surge in Los Angeles County, Presiding Judge Kevin C. Brazile announced today.
The General Orders the Court issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic prompted lawsuits from civil litigants seeking to have the Court adjudicate their cases. While some attorneys sought jury trials, other attorneys objected to coming into court during a pandemic.
Recently, despite mandatory and previous General Orders (See General Orders filed June 5, 2020, July 6, 2020, and October 13, 2020) requiring the use of face masks and social distancing and ubiquitous signage in each courthouse reiterating the face mask and social distancing mandates, attorneys, litigants, and others routinely remove their masks, wear their mask improperly, and/or fail to observe social distancing while in courthouses. Non-compliance with the basic protective measures that this Court has repeatedly required by way of prior General Orders to reduce the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus may increase COVID-19 infections.
Under General Order (2020-GEN-25-00) issued today:
- Public access to courthouses is limited at all times to judicial officers, court employees, co-lessees, Judicial Council staff, vendors, jurors, mediators, authorized persons (including news media representatives and news reporters), attorneys, litigants and witnesses with matters on calendar, and individuals with confirmed appointments.
- In the interest of enforcing social distancing and to reduce the number of people in courthouses, effective Monday, November 30, 2020, members of the public, not otherwise referenced above, who wish to attend a court proceeding may do so upon advance request and at the discretion of the judicial officer presiding over the matter. Instructions on how to make such a request are available on the Court’s website at the Here for You | Safe for You page. All persons attending remotely must comply with applicable California Rules of Court, including Rule 1.150.
NEW ORDER 2-2-2-2
There shall be no recording by anyone of the court proceeding, hearing or trial.
- Attorneys, litigants, witnesses and authorized persons are prohibited from gathering with or speaking to anyone outside their household in courthouse hallways or public areas of the Court unless they can do so at least six feet apart from each other and while wearing masks over their nose and mouth.
- To enforce social distancing, each court department shall schedule only the number of matters during each session as it can accommodate consistent with social distancing requirements in courtrooms and outside hallways of the courthouse.
- Eating in courthouse hallways and courtrooms by the public shall be prohibited at all times.
- Sheriff’s Department personnel are directed to enforce the mandatory face mask requirement and social distancing protocols in courthouses (2020-GEN-016).
- Equipped all 600 courtrooms across the county with remote courtroom appearance technology;
- Required masks (without valves) be worn over the nose and mouth inside courthouses, unless medically certified as an exception;
- Posted social distancing signs to limit the number of people allowed in hallways, courtrooms and elevators;
- Provided hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes in key traffic areas, and increased cleaning of restrooms and high-touch surfaces;
- Installed over 5,600 plexiglass barriers at security screening stations, public counters and courtrooms;
- Provided drop boxes outside each courthouse; and
- Required advance appointments for in-person service at the Clerk’s Office and Self-Help Centers. Call centers at each courthouse are available to reserve appointments for in-person service and get answers to questions. Contact the call centers at this link: http://www.lacourt.org/newsmedia/ui/pdf/CALLCENTERPHONENUMBERSfinal.pdf.
The Court is operating under its Here For You | Safe For You initiative to provide a safe courthouse environment while offering services that allow court business to be conducted remotely. Whether appearing by phone, from home, the office or coming to the courthouse, the Court provides safe, efficient options to access justice. The Court’s remote courtroom appearance technology options promote social distancing by reducing the number of people appearing in person.
Information on Here For You | Safe For You can be found here and on the Court’s Twitter page (@LASuperiorCourt).
For those who must enter the courthouse, all individuals must wear a face covering, unless prevented by doing so due to a medical or mental health condition or developmental disability, and submit to a temperature screening.
The Court is still accepting and handling ex parte applications for domestic violence temporary restraining orders (DVTRO) in the same manner as they were handled during the closure, i.e., the court will review and grant or deny the DVTRO request and set a hearing date for the domestic violence restraining order (DVRO).
In order to limit the number of people in the courthouses, the Court is accepting filings at all locations by drop-box and e-filing. The following documents currently cannot be e-filed and must be submitted in paper form via drop-box:
- Application and Orders for Publication/Posting
- Department of Child Support Services/Family Support Division Filings
- DVTRO/DVRO Paperwork (Initial and Subsequent Filings)
- Earnings Assignment Orders/ Income Withholding Orders
- Ex Parte Filings
- Mandatory Settlement Conference Briefs
- Notices of Lodgment and Accompanying Exhibits
- Requests to Continue Hearing (FL-306) and Orders on Request to Continue Hearing (FL-307)
- Proposed Orders, Findings and Orders After Hearing, Stipulations and Orders, QDROs, or Judgments
- Requests for Dismissal
- Requests to Appear Telephonically
- Subpoenaed Documents
- Surrogacy Filings
- Trial Exhibits
- Writs/Abstracts
The Court has also recently begun accepting in-person/over-the-counter filings of certain documents. Click here the complete list of Family and Family Support Division filing restrictions and services,
Visit (http://www.sdcourt.ca.gov) for the latest notices from the Superior Court of California in San Diego County.
Frequently Asked Questions
We know that families have many questions about how the pandemic affects their family law matters. Our attorneys have provided insights to address some of the common pain points that many are experiencing right now.
Stay updated. Over the past few weeks, we have seen drastic changes in recommendations about how to be safe. Do not spend all your time tracking statistics and reading horror stories. However, do remain aware of executive orders and safety protocol recommendations. You should follow these recommendations. Not only is this the right thing to do, it also helps ensure that you are not placing your children at risk in the eyes of the court.
Communicate with the other parent. This is a time for us to come together, for our children. Make sure that you ask questions, express your concerns, and communicate about how to best keep your children safe. This is not a time for accusations, or attacks. Effective co-parenting should include planning ahead in the event that one house becomes exposed to COVID-19.
Keep your children out of it. The more vocal you are about your concerns with your children spending time with the other parent, the more likely you are to confuse them, stress them out, and place them in a constant state of fear. Do educate your children on safety protocols and world events but keep conversation age appropriate. Choose your words carefully; what you say may be inadvertently alienating your children from the other parent.
We want every woman in an abusive relationship to know there’s help, and that getting out is possible. This guide was created so those affected can learn about tools they can use to gain financial freedom.
This guide highlights the following:
- How financial abuse traps women in violent relationships
- Planning to get out of an abusive household
- Financial assistance for domestic violence survivors
Please visit: Navigating financial help when leaving an abusive relationship
(Courtesy of CreditCards.com)
- Is there a heightened risk factor for the child, such as an underlying health condition?
- Is there a higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 due to a refusal by one parent to abide by safety precautions, shelter in place orders, and/or other orders such as social distancing?
- Does one parent work in a critical infrastructure field such as health care? If so, are there adequate safety precautions in place?
These factors are considerations. Working in the health care industry does not, in and of itself, create an emergency. Every case is different. Your success in obtaining a court order is going to depend on a myriad of factors and circumstances.
The procedure for making this request may also vary from county to county. It is important to discuss the process with your attorney, and whether the factors currently present in your case are warranting court relief. If your current situation does not present itself as a true emergency, there are different options and avenues that you may pursue during this time to keep your family safe.
Should you have a safety concern related to your children, take advantage of the free visitation plan assessments we are offering during the COVID-19 crisis. You may have additional options based on specific safety concerns. Every case, court and judge are unique and we are available to discuss your particular situation.
When your child is with you, you are in total control of social distancing and health-based choices. Likewise, your ex has total control of social distancing and health-based choices on his or her time. Shared custody necessarily means that different standards may often apply in different households, and each parent is expected to respect the other parent’s decisions. Only serious, obvious and indisputable endangerment of a child’s health and safety can or should be brought to the attention of the Court or appropriate social services agency, bearing in mind that resources are unusually limited.
Filing for a support modification as a proactive step makes sense if your perception is that this may be a long term issue, or perhaps you’ve been holding off filing for sometime based upon normal circumstances.
It may not make sense financially if you are certain that the situation will correct itself in a short time.
You should also inquire as to whether your ex has applied for governmental assistance to the extent that is available, as Courts will expect all such remedies to be explored and exhausted. Please contact an attorney immediately if your ex lost a job due to a COVID-related work stoppage and has either stopped or reduced payments.
Single filers with adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less, or head of household filers with adjusted gross income of $112,500 or less, are entitled to a $1,200.00 rebate. Married taxpayers filing jointly with adjusted gross income of $150,000.00 or less are entitled to a $2,400.00 rebate. The rebate is reduced by $5.00 for every $100.00 above the foregoing thresholds, fully phasing out as follows: at $99,000 or higher for single filers; at $136,500.00 for head of household filers; and at $198,000.00 for joint filers. Taxpayers are eligible to receive an additional $500.00 for each “qualifying child.”
“Qualifying child” for purposes of the Recovery Rebate means any child that qualified for the Child Tax Credit on the taxpayer’s most recently filed (2019 or 2018) income tax return. The parent who claimed the Child Tax Credit on their most recently filed income tax return will automatically receive the $500 for each qualifying child.
$500 child stimulus credit should be paid to the custodial parent.
There is no repayment adjustment with regard to either the $1,200 stimulus credit or the $500 child credit. If you are paid too little because of a change in income, the IRS says you can claim the additional credit next year when you file your 2020 tax return. But you would never have to repay the stimulus money, even if you were overpaid.
Inside Holstrom, Block & Parke
In adhering to social distancing guidelines that keep our staff and clients safe from coronavirus, we are working remotely and meeting with clients using teleconferencing technology. Here’s a look inside our home offices and our four-legged friends.
Recommended Reading
It’s important to understand the social impacts of what we are currently living through. The news features below provide insight into the phenomena that arise during this unprecedented time.
We’ll continue to curate information found online and deliver it here, in a filtered view for easy consumption.
For Divorced Parents, a Time to Work Together
“The pandemic’s challenges and anxieties are helping some ex-spouses overcome old tensions for their children’s sake.”
Robert and his ex-wife have been divorced for 13 years, during which time they have largely parented their 15-year-old son in a parallel fashion. They communicate exclusively by email and only about the most important matters—medical appointments, notices from school. The rest remains undiscussed. “I’ve tried for ages to encourage more active joint decision-making,” says Robert, a graphic designer near Boston.
Read Full Article
Courtesy of The Wall Street Journal
‘I got my kids’: How one woman fled domestic violence during coronavirus pandemic
When the new coronavirus initially hit Colorado in early March, many flocked to grocery stores and cleared shelves, preparing for the potential of hunkering down in their homes. But for Jeara and her four young children, those first days of the virus looked a little different.
Read Full Article
Courtesy of USA Today
Domestic abuse victims in ‘worst-case scenario’ during outbreak, providers say
One evening last week, a 38-year-old woman showed up in the emergency room of a Los Angeles hospital. She had been beaten by her boyfriend.
Under normal circumstances, the hospital would contact a domestic violence advocate, who would meet with the woman in person and help her find shelter and other services.
Read Full Article
Courtesy of The Los Angeles Times
For victims of relationship violence, staying home isn’t always safer
As all of us across California are urged to avoid public spaces to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), staying home for victims of relationship violence can be just as dangerous. What do you do if you’re trapped in the most terrifying place — your own home?
COVID-19 restrictions are creating the perfect storm for spikes in relationship violence between intimate partners and families. Start with an already abusive relationship, add stay-at-home mandates, the financial stress of unemployment, school closures and more, and we see increased rates of relationship violence across the board, with victims separated from the people and resources they need most.
Read Full Article
Courtesy of The Orange County Register
Parents can make joint custody work during a pandemic
So, here’s a legal pickle: Mom and dad are divorced, and their child spends every other weekend and Wednesday nights with dad.
The virus hit and the governor of California puts a stay-at-home order into effect while the child is at dad’s house. Mom asks dad to bring him home when his weekend is over and dad says no, the new requirement is for nobody is to travel except for essential services. The father adds that mom works as a grocery clerk and could bring home all kinds of germs whereas dad is staying at home since being furloughed from the restaurant where he works. He goes on to say it’s safer at his house because he, his new wife and their two kids are all shuttered.
Read Full Article
Courtesy of The Press-Enterprise
Serving Our Communities
Still strong and thankful for the many volunteers at Big Brothers Big Sisters. During this difficult time, we remain committed to all of our Bigs, Littles and their families. We want to do our part to keep them safe and healthy, and also ensure they do not lose the valuable relationships they’ve built through our program.
Laughter: The Best Medicine
A little levity can go a long way when your emotional state fluctuates between stress and utter boredom. Here are some gems we hope you’ll enjoy. Follow our social media for more!
16 Married Couples Who Might Be Divorced When This Pandemic Ends
Since the coronavirus pandemic began, married people have been making a lot of jokes on Twitter about being locked up with their spouses.
Read Full Article
Courtesy of Nifty on BuzzFeed