Preparing for Court

Whenever possible, it is best, and sometimes required, to file papers, and provide the other party with copies, several days before the hearing.

Before coming to Court for your hearing, make sure you have all your documents together. If you did not already provide the other side with copies of your filed documents, bring extra copies.

It is best to have your documents labeled and organized in date order so you can find them quickly.

Bring paper, a pen, and a self-addressed stamped envelope (if an order is made, the Clerk will mail you a copy).

The courtroom is a formal place. You should dress appropriately. No shorts, tank tops, hats, or sunglasses (unless prescription) are permitted.

It is best to leave children at home. The court does provide supervised child care for children over 2 1/2 years and toilet trained. If you must bring a young child with you, bring another adult to watch your child while you attend to court business.

How do I obtain copies of documents in my file?

The fee for a copy is .50 cents per page and $15 for any document you need certified.

You can request copies by mail by sending your completed Copy Request Form (available on our website) to Superior Court of California, County of Orange, Family Law Division, 341 The City Drive, Orange, CA 92863, Attn: Records Department. Please include a postage paid, self addressed envelope for your copies to be returned to you and a check made payable to the Clerk of the Court. If you do not know the exact charge for the documents you are requesting, please write the amount as “Not to exceed fifty dollars” in the memo section of your check. The court will only charge applicable fees. Please allow ten business days for your request to be processed. Your copies will be returned to you by mail. If this is a confidential paternity file, review the information provide below.

For Paternity cases, please include a copy of valid photo identification with your written request. A valid photo identification can be any of the following:

• drivers’ license,
• Identification Card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles,
• United States Passport,
• United States Military Identification,
• Naturalization documents with photo identification,
• or a Tribal photo identification.

To obtain copies in person complete a Copy Request Form (available on our website) and visit the Family Law clerk’s office on the seventh floor of the Lamoreaux Justice Center. If your case was opened in 1997 or later, your file is available for viewing on computers in the clerk’s office lobby. For cases started in 1996 or before please submit your request by calling (714) 935-6292 and allow 4 business days for retrieval of the case file or microfiche. The court will contact you when the file is available for viewing. A valid, photo identification is required.

If a case is sealed by order of the court or if you are not a party to a Paternity case you will be required to obtain an order from the judge before you are able to view or obtain any copies.

What type of photo identification may be required?

A valid photo identification can be any of the following:

• drivers’ license,
• Identification Card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles,
• United States Passport,
• United States Military Identification,
• Naturalization documents with photo identification,
• or a Tribal photo identification.

If you have any concerns when you are in the court building, please speak with Court staff or personnel from the Sheriff’s Department.

When you arrive at the courtroom where your case is being heard, give your name to the clerk or bailiff. If you do not have a lawyer, let the clerk or bailiff know.

A number of cases may be scheduled on the same day and time as your hearing. You will be required to wait until your case is called – sometimes this can be an hour or more. Remain in the courtroom until your case is called. Some of the courtrooms are very small with limited seating, so if you come to court with a relative or friend, that person(s) may be asked to wait outside of the courtroom.

While in the courtroom:
Pagers and cell phones should be placed on “vibrate” or “silent” mode. Should you need to accept or make a phone call, step out of the courtroom and into the public area for your call. Do not bring food or drinks into the courtroom.

After everyone that is scheduled for a court hearing checks in with the Clerk, the judicial officer will come out to the courtroom, and call each case on calendar. When your case is called, stand and tell the court who you are; the judicial officer may ask you some questions.

Wait until you are addressed to start speaking. Do not talk over the other person or the judicial officer. If there is a court reporter present they can only record for one person at a time.

You should address the judicial officer as “Your Honor.”

After hearing your case, the judicial officer may make orders about your case. You should write down these orders. Ask for the orders to be repeated if you do not understand. If there is an attorney on the other side, the Court may direct that attorney to prepare a “formal” order. If there is no attorney, the Court may direct the Clerk to prepare the order, and a copy of the order will be mailed to you. Provide the Clerk with a self addressed stamp envelope for mailing. The court may direct you to prepare an order. You can obtain the necessary forms online or at the Self- Help Center.