Home/Guides
California · Self-Help Guides

Step-by-step guides for California court filings.

Plain-English walkthroughs for the most common California court filings — each one built around the actual Judicial Council forms you'll need.

Family LawFL-100

Divorce (Dissolution of Marriage)

Filing for divorce in California? Here's the 7-step process, the 6-month waiting period explained, all required forms (FL-100, FL-110, FL-140/142/150, FL-180), and a finalization date calculator.

Read Guide →
Family LawFL-300

Child Custody & Visitation

Need a custody or visitation order in California? File Form FL-300 — here's exactly what to file, how to serve it, and what to expect at your hearing.

Read Guide →
Unlawful DetainerUD-105

Responding to an Eviction

Got served eviction papers? You have just 5 business days to file a response. Here's exactly what to file, what the defenses are, and how to get to a hearing.

Read Guide →
Civil ProcedurePOS-020

Proof of Service

Serving the other side isn't enough — the court needs a filed proof. Match your service method to the right POS form and file it before your hearing.

Read Guide →
Fee WaiverFW-001

Getting a Court Fee Waiver

Qualify by public benefits, income, or hardship — then file FW-001 to ask the court to waive your filing fees.

Read Guide →