To start, you will need to fill out the application packet(s).

• You can pick up pre-printed packets from the Family Law Building, located at 751 Pine Street, Martinez, CA 94553, Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., except for court holidays.
• Forms can be downloaded from the court's website at www.cc-courts.org. Go to "General Information" and click on "Forms." Click on "Forms Packets" and go to "Domestic Violence Restraining Order Packets & Forms."
  • Packet A is mandatory and must be completed by everyone. You must complete Packet B if you have minor children with the other party.
• Pre-printed Domestic Violence Restraining Order packets are available at Contra Costa County Family Justice Centers, www.cocofamilyjustice.org. For hours of operation, please call the respective center: Richmond (510) 974-7200; Concord (925) 521-6366; Antioch (925) 281-0970.
• Try using a free, online forms preparation program like Odyssey Guide & File, located here: https://california.tylerhost.net/SRL.
• Please understand that the Family Law Facilitator's Office does not provide assistance with completing the forms for a Domestic Violence Restraining Order. If you need help with filling out the forms, please contact STAND! at 1-888-215-5555 to make an appointment for Bay Area Legal Aid's remote restraining order clinic.

In Person

The clerk's office is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except for court holidays, and is located at 751 Pine Street, Martinez, CA 94553.

• Be sure to bring in the original of your document(s), at least two copies, plus any applicable filing fee or fee waiver application.

Drop Box

The drop box is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is located in front of the Spinetta Family Law building at 751 Pine Street, Martinez, CA 94553.

• Be sure to include the original of your document(s), at least two copies, any applicable filing fee or fee waiver application, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope with appropriate postage for the court to return your filed documents to you.
• If you need envelopes or postage, there is a post office located nearby, at: 815 Court Street, Martinez, CA 94553.

Mailing

Mail the original of your document(s), at least two copies, any applicable filing fee or fee waiver application, and a self-addressed stamped envelope with appropriate postage for the court to return your filed documents to you. You can mail your documents to:

Contra Costa County Superior Court
751 Pine Street
P.O. Box 911
Martinez, CA 94553
Attn: Clerk's Office

E-Filing

E-Filing services are also now available for certain types of filings and documents. If you do not have an attorney, E-Filing is optional and it is not mandatory for you to use these filing services. However, if you are interested in learning more about E-Filing, please click here: https://www.cc-courts.org/efiling/civil/efileservices.aspx.

Restraining Order Packets

• Pre-printed Domestic Violence Restraining Order packets are available at the Peter L. Spinetta Family Law Building located at 751 Pine Street, Martinez, CA 94553. You can pick up packets Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except for court holidays.
• Pre-printed Domestic Violence Restraining Order packets are also available at Contra Costa County Family Justice Centers, www.cocofamilyjustice.org." For hours of operation, please call the respective center: Richmond (510) 974-7200; Concord (925) 521-6366; Antioch (925) 281-0970
• Forms can also be downloaded from the court's website at www.cc-courts.org. Go to "General Information" and click on "Forms." Click on "Forms Packets" and go to "Domestic Violence Restraining Order Packets & Forms."
  • Packet A is mandatory and must be completed by everyone. You must complete Packet B if you have minor children with the other party.
• Or, you can try using a free, online forms preparation program like Odyssey Guide & File, located here: https://california.tylerhost.net/SRL.

For all other forms, please see the information below:

Download:

• You can download forms and forms packets from the court's website at www.cc-courts.org. Go to "General Information" and click on "Forms."
• If you do not see the form that you need, you can also download forms at the Judicial Council website at www.courts.ca.gov. Click on "Forms & Rules." From the pull-down menu, choose "Find Your Court Forms."

Pre-printed Forms and Packets:

You can purchase pre-printed forms and packets from the Contra Costa County Law Library. Please call ahead at (925) 646-2783 to make arrangements with the librarians. The Law Library is located at 1020 Ward Street, Martinez, CA 94553

The answer will depend on what you are doing. Not everyone needs to have a court date to resolve their issues. If you have just opened your case, you will not be assigned a court date unless you file paperwork to set a hearing. If you serve the other party with your Petition and Summons and there is no objection from the other party, it is possible that you will be able to finish your case without having to see a judge. In this case, you will complete your case by submitting additional forms.

However, if the other party files a response or if the two of you are unable to reach an agreement, you may need to request a court date. To do so, you must complete the appropriate forms, file them with the court, and then arrange for those documents to be served on the other party so that they know when the court date will be. Court dates are assigned by what the next available date is for your judge. If there is an emergency and you need to be seen sooner than the next available date, you may need to submit a request for temporary emergency orders.

The next steps that you need to take may depend on several things. For example, whether the other party filed a Response. Another consideration is whether or not you and the other party have reached agreements on all issues in your case or whether you may still need court dates to settle certain issues.

For some basic information on the different paths that a divorce case may take, you can read through the information on this website: Divorce in California | CA Courts Self Help.

If you have questions about your case and what your next steps are, please contact the Family Law Facilitator’s Office on LiveChat or come in person during our drop-in hours. See above for information on these services.

No, if you have an attorney, you cannot use the services of the Family Law Facilitator's Office. Our office can only provide assistance to self-represented litigants.

If you are coming for drop-in assistance, please read the following:

• Bring a blue or black pen. (The court is not providing pens at this time.)
• Bring previously filed court documents, especially any court orders.
• If you are currently working on forms, please bring those forms with you.
• If you are working on support issues, bring your proof of income. Examples of proof of income include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Two months of paystubs;
  • EDD statements for unemployment or disability benefits;
  • Social security statements for retirement benefits or disability benefits;
  • Or, a Schedule C from your most recent tax return or a profit/loss statement, if you are self-employed.
• Bring a photo ID. There may be times when court staff will need to see a photo ID in order to complete their task or function.
• If you cannot speak or read English well, please bring someone to help interpret for you. We have bilingual staff but we cannot guarantee that they will be available at the time you visit our office.
• Please do not bring children. However, if you must bring children with you, you can check to see if they are eligible to use the Children’s Waiting Room. The Children’s Waiting Room is a free, drop-in childcare service for court customers who have family court related business to conduct. For more info, please visit their webpage at https://www.cc-courts.org/family/cwr.aspx.

If your court hearing is being conducted by Zoom, you can find the link, meeting ID, and passcode for your courtroom here: Courtroom Calendars - Superior Court of California - County of Contra Costa

• You can also find tips on how to successfully participate in your court hearing by Zoom in this handout: How to Prepare For Your Zoom Virtual Hearing
• If you are not able to use Zoom for any reason, you can call into your court hearing instead. To find help with Zoom issues, please click on the link that says "Zoom Link Not Working?" under the Zoom Hearings section on the Court Calendars webpage.