Printer Friendly VersionPlease check the Fee Schedule for the current filing fees actions such as requesting a divorce, legal separation, annulment, harassment. There is no fee for domestic violence restraining order.
If you feel that you cannot afford to pay the filing fee, you may ask the clerk for an application for waiver of court fees. There is no cost for this form.
Forms and information are available on-line. The Judicial Council of California provides information regarding obtaining a temporary restraining order. That packet with a list of forms to file can be located on our forms list.
Court forms may be obtained free of charge, in person at the Family Law clerk’s office on the 7th floor, 341 The City Drive, Orange, CA, 92868. (See OC Superior Court Locations Page for more specific location instruction and map.) You may obtain forms by mail by sending your written request, including a check payable to the "Clerk of the Court", if applicable, and a self-addressed, stamped return envelope with sufficient postage for their return. Please list the form number or the exact title of the form in your request. You may request a forms list by mail at no charge by sending a request with a self-addressed, stamped return envelope.
All forms must be legibly typewritten before they are presented to the clerk for filing. Typewriters are available for use by the public in the Family Law Information Center.
When filing your documents with the clerk of court, you will need to present an original and two copies of each form. The original will remain with the court and the copies will be conformed and returned to you. One copy is for your file, and the other is to be served on the other party.
To file a request for Domestic Violence, you must: Be related to the party on whom you are seeking a restraining order; or, have dated this party; or, have lived with this party or were married to this party, and do not have a divorce case in this county.
How to Have a Party Served:
The summons and petition may be served by a registered process server or anyone over the age of 18 who is not a party to the action. The original proof of service must be filed with the court to obtain a order against the respondent.
Notices may be served by personal service or by first-class mail. A proof of service or declaration of mailing must be attached to the notice when it is filed with the court.
Responses and Answers:
If you have been served with a summons and want to respond, forms may be available in the clerk’s office. Be sure to let the clerk know which type of summons and petition you have been served with because failure to file a response may lead to a judgment or order being entered against you.
Fees:
- Accepted forms of payment for all fees are: cash, traveler's checks, money orders, personal checks, credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover) and ATM.
- Checks must be made payable to "Clerk of the Court." If paying in person and by personal check, at least one form of ID is required. If you are paying by mail and are uncertain of the total amount due, leave the amount blank and indicate a (not to exceed) amount in the memo portion of the check. The clerk will then fill in the exact amount charged and return a receipt to you for that payment.
See
Adoption and paternity cases are confidential. They may be viewed and copied for parties to the action and their attorneys of record only, unless further ordered by the court. Information regarding these cases is not available over the phone. When inquiring in person, identification will be required.
Viewing Court Files:
Family Law files may be viewed in the Family Law Clerk's Office, on the 7th floor of the Lamoreaux Justice Center at 341 The City Drive in Orange, California. If you are unsure of the case number for the file to be viewed, there are indexes in the clerk’s office where you may find the court case number.
Some of our files are located at another facility and may not be able to be viewed the same day as requested. Files that must be retrieved from another location will be available within 4 business days of the request. If you know your case number you may place a telephonic file request by calling (714) 935-6292. Your file will be ordered and you will receive a courtesy call from a clerk when your file is ready for viewing. Court files for cases filed after 1997 are imaged and available for viewing only at a viewing station. The physical court file is not available for viewing imaged files.
If the request is for a record filed prior to 1985, the microfiche or reel of that record is usually available for viewing and making copies.
Current picture identification (such as a driver's license, attorney bar card, etc.) is required to view a physical file. The identification is left with the records clerk during the viewing and returned to you upon return of the file to the clerk.
Record Searches:
Family Law records may be searched from 1968 to the present, at the Lamoreaux Justice Center. There is a per name cost of a search. Miscellaneous Fees Schedule You may search for your information in person and at no cost. Public indexes are available in the Family Law clerk's office for this purpose. Family Law index searches for cases filed prior to 1968 should be made at the Central Justice Center, 1st floor L100, at 700 Civic Center Drive, Santa Ana, California.
Ordering Copies:
Copies are available per page. Certification and Copying Fees Schedule If a document is to be certified, an additional fee is required per document. Certification and Copying Fees Schedule
Exemplifications (Authentications) can be issued if requested. Certification and Copying Fees Schedule.
Clerk's Certificates of Facts may be purchased for a fee. Certification and Copying Fees Schedule.
Certified copies of a dissolution (divorce) judgment or miscellaneous documents can be purchased. Certification and Copying Fees Schedule.
You may request copies by mail. You will need to include in your request:
- Case number
- Case name
- Indicate "entire file" or specify documents by title. Specify date filed (if unknown, give approximate year of filing).
- Check made payable to "Clerk of the Court"
- Self-addressed return envelope with sufficient postage for the return of the copies
- Mail
to: Superior Court, Family Law Division
341 The City Drive
Orange, Ca 92868
Attn: Records
* If you are a party in a Paternity or Parentage action or you need a copy of a confidential document, you will need to include a copy of a valid photo ID.
- Acceptable forms of Government issued (Issued by any State or US Government) ID:
- Valid Driver’s License
- ID card issued by DM
- US Passport
- US Military ID
- Naturalization documents with photo
- Tribal photo ID
Register of Actions:
A Register of Actions is a list of all the documents filed in a case.
A computer printout of the Register of Actions for cases is available. The fee is per page listed. See Miscellaneous Fees Schedule
Please see OC Superior Court Fee Schedule, Family Law for more specific information regarding records and copies.
If you have any questions about records and copies, please call (714) 935-6269.
Return to: Beginning of Forms, Fees & Files Information Page